Human Evolution in Asia: Taking Stock and Looking Forward

We review the state of paleoanthropology research in Asia. We survey the fossil record, articulate the current understanding, and delineate the points of contention. Although Asia received less attention than Europe and Africa did in the second half of the twentieth century, an increase in reliably...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of anthropology 2021-01, Vol.50 (1), p.145-166
Main Authors: Lee, Sang-Hee, Hudock, Autumn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
20th century
Asian paleoanthropology
evolutionary trends
Fossils
Genetics
hominin evolution
Homo erectus
Homo sapiens
Human evolution
Morphology
Pleistocene
Sociocultural factors
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Summary:We review the state of paleoanthropology research in Asia. We survey the fossil record, articulate the current understanding, and delineate the points of contention. Although Asia received less attention than Europe and Africa did in the second half of the twentieth century, an increase in reliably dated fossil materials and the advances in genetics have fueled new research. The long and complex evolutionary history of humans in Asia throughout the Pleistocene can be explained by a balance of mechanisms, between gene flow among different populations and continuity of regional ancestry. This pattern is reflected in fossil morphology and paleogenomics. Critical understanding of the sociocultural forces that shaped the history of hominin fossil research in Asia is important in charting the way forward.
ISSN:0084-6570
1545-4290
DOI:10.1146/annurev-anthro-101819-110230