Abstract

Author	Peter Ferdinando
Title	INVESTIGATION INTO THE PRESENCE OF PURPORTED LINEAGE CONTINUITY IN AUSTRALASIA
Institution	Florida Atlantic University
Thesis Advisor	Dr. Doug Broadfield
Degree	Master of Arts
Year	2002

The debate concerning the appearance of modern humans is currently divided into proponents for Multiregional continuity and advocates for a Replacement of all archaic hominin populations by a single, African source. Australasia has been touted as the best evidence for continuity. Utilizing a review of the purported morphological basis of this continuity, it is clear that the proposed unique Australasian features are primitive retentions from Homo erectus. However, African-derived modern humans lack these traits. Consequently, the only group from where these features could be acquired is Indonesian Homo erectus. Henceforth, there appears to be a combination of a discrete African origin for the modern Homo sapiens morphology and limited interbreeding that generates the archaic features present in modern human fossil specimens from Australia. It would seems probable that the interactions of Homo sapiens and Homo erectus in Indonesia may have paralleled those of modern humans and the Neanderthals in Europe.