The adaptive history of two components of music, rhythmic entrained movement and complex learned vocalization, is examined. The development of habitual bipedal locomotion around 1.6 million years ago made running possible and coincided with distinct changes in the vestibular canal dimensions. The vestibular system of the inner ear clearly plays a role in determining rhythm and therefore bipedalism did not only make refined dancing movements possible, but also changed rhythmic capabilities. In current scenarios for the evolution of musicality, the descent of the larynx is regarded as pivotal to enable complex vocalization. However, the larynx descends in chimpanzees as well, for reasons unrelated to vocalization or bipedalism. A new perspective discussed in this paper is that vocal learning capabilities could have evolved from a simple laryngeal vocalization, or a grunt. The burgeoning literature on the neuroscience of musical functions is of limited use to investigate the origins of rhythmical and vocalization capabilities, but the out-of-proportion evolution of the cerebellum and pre-frontal cortex may be relevant. It suggested that protomusic was a behavioural feature of Homo ergaster 1.6 million years ago. Protomusic consisted of entrained rhythmical whole-body movements, initially combined with grunts. Homo heidelbergensis, 350 000 years ago, had a brain approaching modern size, had an enlarged thoracic canal which indicates that they had modern-style breathing control essential for singing, and had modern auditory capability, as is evident from the modern configuration of the middle ear. The members of this group may have been capable of producing complex learned vocalizations and thus modern music in which voluntary synchronized movements are combined with consciously manipulated melodies.

To cite this article: Wurz, S. 2009. Interpreting the fossil evidence for the evolutionary origins of music. Southern African Humanities 21: 395-417.