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.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Terminology
The Pleistocene (1.8 m.y.a. - 10,000 y.a.)
Overview of Homo erectus Discoveries
Morphology of Homo erectus
Technological Trends
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.