ABSTRACT
Thereadermaywonderwhatabiologistmightconceivablycontributetoavolumedevotedtomonuments,thatmostculturallydrivenofallexpressionsofthe humanspirit.Iwondered,too,whenIwasfirstaskedtoprovideabiologicalbackgroundtothesubject.ButthenIrealizedthatthisissueofmonumentsimpinges squarelyonacentralquestionthatmustultimatelyfaceallstudentsofhuman evolution:theproblemofrecognizinghow,when,and,ifpossible,whyhumans firstacquiredthetraitsthatmakethemsoremarkablydistinctfromanyotherof themanymillionsoflivingspeciesthatpopulatetheearth.Aslongasweaccept thatHomosapiensdidnotspringfullyfledgedintobeinginSeptember,4004B.C., butisinsteadtheresultofalongandcomplexevolutionaryhistorystretchingback ultimatelytoover3.5billionyearsago,thenwemust,atleastinprinciple,beable toidentifysomepoint,orpoints,atwhichourlineageacquiredourdistinctive characteristics-amongwhichwemustnumberthaturgeandthoseabilitiesthat haveproducedmonumentseversincepopulationsizesandtechnologiesburgeonedtothepointthatmadethisactivitypossible.
