The Origin of Modern Humans and the Impact of Chronometric Dating

This volume of papers delivered to The Royal Society in February of 1992 explores the debate over the "single center" hypothesis of human origins versus "multi-regional evolution." Over the last five years there has been growing support for a recent "Out of Africa" origin of modern humans--based on fresh interpretations of the palaeoanthropological and archaeological evidence, new applications of physical dating techniques to important sites, and a greatly increased genetic data base on recent human variation and its geographical patterning. But there has also been a parallel growth of doubts about interpretations of the new evidence from some workers. This book provides a review of recent progress and allows some of these doubts to be aired and discussed.In addition to the editors, the contributors are O. Bar-Yosef, A. M. Bowcock, P. Brown, H. J. Deacon, L. L. Cavalli-Sforza, J. D. Clark, R. Grün, J.-J. Hublin, A. A. Lin, G. H. Miller, J. L. Mountain, H. P. Schwarcz, N. J. Shackleton, F. H. Smith, and M. Stoneking.Originally published in 1993.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Outlining the problem 3
Uranium-series dating and the origin of modern man 12

Luminescence dating relevant to human origins 27

Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of the origin of modern man 40

Pleistocene geochronology and palaeothermometry from protein diagenesis in ostrich eggshells: implications for the evolution of modern humans 49

Evolution of modern humans: evidence from nuclear DNA polymorphisms 69

New approaches to dating suggest a recent age for the human mtDNA ancestor 84

Southern Africa and modern human origins 104

Recent human evolution in northwestern Africa 118

The role of western Asia in modern human origins 132

African and Asian perspectives on the origins of modern humans 148

Reconstructing recent human evolution 179

Archaeology and the population - dispersal hypothesis of modern human origins in Europe 196

Recent human evolution in East Asia and Australasia 217

Models and realities in modern human origins: the African fossil evidence 234