Paranthropus robustus

Australopithecus africanus

Set IV. Early Homo (2.4-1.8 m.y.a.)

The earliest appearance of our genus, Homo may be as ancient as the robust Australopithecines.

Leakey named these specimens Homo habilis ("handy man") for Olduwan tools

Differs from Australopithecus in cranial cavity and dental

proportions.

Homo habilis

Homo habilis

Pleistocene Homo

I. TerminologyII. The Pleistocene (1.8 m.y.a. - 10,000 y.a.)III. Overview of Homo erectus DiscoveriesIV. Morphology of Homo erectusV. Technological TrendsVI. Population Trends

I. Homo erectus: Terminology

The discoveries of fossils now referred to as Homo erectus go back to the 1890s. These early fossils had different names:

– Javanese remains were called Pithecanthropus (first found).– The fossils found in China were called Sinanthropus.

After World War II the previous taxonomic splitting was combined under the classification of Homo erectus.

Today they are referred to by some as Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, and Homo ergaster

II. The Pleistocene (1.8 m.y.a.. - 10,000 y.a.)

Northern hemisphere largely covered with ice to about 40 degrees N latitude

Known as the “age of glaciers” or “ice age”

II. The Pleistocene

Glacial advances and retreats influenced hominids

Pleistocene levels went down as much as 125 m.

III A. Discoveries in Java

Six sites in eastern Java have yielded all the H. erectus fossils that have been found on this island.

Dates range from 1.8 m.y.a. to 1.6 m.y.a. These were among the first found in the 1890s by

Eugene DuBois

III B. Discoveries in Peking

Near Zhoukoudian, more than 40 male and female adults and children have been found along with 100,000 artifacts since the 1920s.– The site was occupied for almost 250,000 years.– 40 % of the bones found were of individuals less

than 14 years old and 2.6 % of the bones found were of individuals in the 50-60 year range.

– Some evidence of fire use and cannibalism

III C. Discoveries in East Africa

Louis Leakey unearthed a fossil skull at Olduvai. An almost complete skull was discovered in east

Turkana. The most complete H. erectus skeleton ever found was

uncovered at western Lake Turkana (Turkana or Nariokotome Boy).

In Ethiopia, an abundance of Acheulian tools have been found as well as a mandible dating to 1.3 m.y.a.

IV. Morphology of Homo erectus

Brain size has a mean of 900 cm3

Range of 800-1200 cm3

Body size dramatically increased compared to earlier hominids. Some close to 2 m tall

Cranium had a distinctive pentagonal shape with thick cranial bone and large brow ridges. Low, long skull

African specimens have thinner cranial bones than those found in Asia and are taller and thinner overall.

Shovel-shaped incisors (early African and later Asians)

IV. Homo erectus morphology

IV. Homo erectus morphology

Technological Trends in the Pleistocene

Expansion of the brain enabled H. erectus to develop sophisticated tools: – The biface, a stone that was worked on both sides,

was used to cut, scrape, pound, and dig. – There is widespread evidence for butchering,

thousands of Acheulian hand axes have been found with remains of large animals.

Homo erectus is seen as a potential hunter and scavenger.

V. Homo erectus and Acheulian Tools

Trends in the Pleistocene

Homo erectus liked to travel. Stone tools found on the island of Flores, 375

miles east of Java, suggest that H. erectus may have constructed ocean-going vessels.

Homo erectus embraced culture as a strategy of adaptation.