Skulls and human evolution: the use of casts of anthropoid skulls in teaching concepts of human evolution

Abstract

One way of teaching about human evolution is to use casts of fossil anthropoid skulls. The approach suggested is to ask students to examine the skulls to answer a series of questions. ‘Which of these skulls is “human”?’ should bring out the concept that Homo sapiens is not isolated in nature but can be related through a series of fossil forms to earlier ape-like animals. A further question as to whether a large brain preceded an upright stance may then be used to promote discussion on how the evolution of humans occurred. The skull casts are interesting to students and can give them a much better ‘feel’ for the morphological development ofhominids and humans than can books and diagrams.

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