Anthroplogy - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages There was occasional flooding occasioned by the melting glaciers. Most of the mountains in Idaho still have evidence of these Pleistocene glaciers (Digital Geology of Idaho 1).
During this period, many animals roamed the plains and mountains of Idaho. Animals such as mammoth, giant sloths, and Smilodon amongst others roamed the earth. My favorite animal that roamed the world during this time was the mammoth. From the remains I saw at the Museum, the mammoth seemed such a huge animal. It is its mere sight that fascinates me more than scares me. All of these mammoths lived and died during the ice age (IMNH 1). As far as diet is concerned, the mammoth fed on grass, bushes, and sedges. Other foods that the mammoth ate included blue spruce, cactus and fruits amongst others. This implies that the Pleistocene period in Idaho was marked by rich vegetation since the mammoth also browsed. Another factor that makes me conclude that the Pleistocene period was marked by rich vegetation is the fact that the mammoth was much bigger than the present elephant yet it survived. In terms of physical appearance, the mammoth also had long tusks as the modern elephant. It must have been furry to that it adapted to extreme cold temperatures when the cold season and glaciers swept down the lowlands. However, it later became extinct due to reduced food availability and the ice age that greatly reduced its food sources.
Human activity during this age was just beginning to take shape. The fact that this period was also marked by warm temperatures during certain seasons explains the origin of the early man. Archeological evidence point to the fact that man lived during this age and later migrated out of Africa. The early man during this period was the Neanderthal man, whom is said to have evolved after the Home erectus man. The early man had attained an upright posture during this time. He hunted wild animals, gathered food and learned how to make fire. Essentially, culture ...Download file to see next pagesRead More