The goals of paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology entails a branch of anthropology that seeks to understand the early development of anatomically modern humans. The major goal of paleoanthropology is reconstructing the human phylogeny which includes distant cousins. Another goal of paleoanthropology is to classify human fossils. Classification entails a hierarchical ranking of things in groups. This mostly entails organisms extant and extinct. Paleoanthropology seeks to make sure that organisms are classified hierarchically based on similarities (Speth 2012). Paleoanthropology entails assessment by techniques of physical anthropology, compares anatomy, and also be basis it on the theory of evolution. It also involves identifying artifacts such as bones, and stone stools, and also their significance for the mental and physical development of early humans. This is by the use of the techniques of archaeology and ethnology.
How paleoanthropologists identify hominin fossils
The primary method used by paleoanthropologists is analyzing the fossil remains. Nevertheless, they are increasingly relying on other scientific disciplines as a way of having a better comprehension of the environmental forces which played a major role in the evolution. They also use fossil records as a way of identifying the hominin fossils. Geologists for example identify the fossils by identifying processes of sedimentation and fossilization. They also use data fossils and associated sediments through the use of varying techniques (Villmoare 2018). Paleoanthropologists for example tend to identify ancient floral and faunal fossils, whereas the Palynologists evaluate the particles found in lakes and oceans, as well as pollen in terrestrial sediments. The process also entails recognizing stones and bones, which help in determining the earlier hominin activities. This also helps in ensuring that they can identify and reconstruct past behavior of the hominins.
