Complex topography and human evolution: the missing link

Isabelle Winder, Geoffrey King, Maud Devès, Geoffrey Bailey

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    32 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Why did humans walk upright? Previous models based on adaptations to forest or savannah are challenged here in favour of physical incentives presented by steep rugged terrain - the kind of tectonically varied landscape that has produced early hominin remains. "Scrambler man" pursued his prey up hill and down dale and in so doing became that agile, sprinting, enduring, grasping, jumping two-legged athlete that we know today.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)333-349
    Number of pages17
    JournalAntiquity
    Volume87
    Issue number336
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jun 2013

    Keywords

    • Africa
    • Bipedalism
    • Hominins
    • Kenya
    • Rift valleys
    • South Africa
    • Tectonic landscape
    • Terrestrialisation

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