archaic homo + homo erectus

archaic homo- key species

H. erectus, H. heidelbergensis, H. neanderthalensis

(other: H. naledi, H. floresiensis)

archaic homo- age

pleistocene (1.9 Myr-40Kyr)

archaic homo- region

africa, asia, europe

archaic homo- size

large (~45-75kg)

archaic homo- activity pattern

diurnal

archaic homo- locomotion

terrestiral bipedalism

archaic homo- diet

omnivore including meat

archaic homo- social organization

unknown but may include monogamy

archaic homo- key facts

• recognizably human

• large brain (650-1700cc) increases over time (synapomorphy with modern humans)

• larger body size

• robust but otherwise nealry modern postcranial skeleton

• reduced molars, premolars, and mandibles with less projecting faces

• later populations showed reduced sexual dimorphism

• increasingly sophisticated stone tools

• later populations have controlled use of fire

• ecologically flexible, first hominins to leave africa

• later populations buried or systematically disposed of their dead

homo erectus- age

early-middle pleistocene, 1.9Myr-200Kyr

homo erectus- region

africa (1.9Myr) → central asia (1.7Myr) → mainland asia to islands of indonesia (1.2Myr)

what happened in trinil, java, indonesia

first homo erectus was found

what were the 2 human fossils that found when first homo erectus was located

1 modern femur and 1 skull cap (trinil)

describe the skull cap(trinil) found in first located homo erectus

enormous brow bridge, back of skull was angled and had a big forehead, larger brain than ape but smaller than modern human, 650-1100cc normal brain size

what was found in zhoukoutian

skull with large brow bridge and same size as java, indonesia → must be skull of homo erectus

what is the oldest evidence of homo erectus

turkana basin- found good evidence of a bunch of crania in east africa (koobi fora) 1.6 Myr

what can you compare homo erectus to

homo habilis

what is the difference between homo habilis and erectus

the first molar is different → habilis biiger than erectus 1st/2nd molar; substantial reduction in tooth size because diet is less hard and requires less chewing

old homo ergaster/erectus

1.5 Myr (strapping youth); was 8-12 years old, would have grown to 5.5ft, almost a modern skeleton, had all of the bipedalism traits; discovered on an ancient plain

acheuliun tools

showed up 1.7Myr; remained in fossil record after extinction of all hominins and is there when homo erectus is the only living species; required cognitive sophistication

dmanisi, georgia site

underneath a castle, complete crania of homo erectus found; older population with smaller average brain sizes

what was the earliest evidence of advanced social behavior in homo erectus

• did not have any teeth; individual lived after it lost its teeth and the bone around the teeth healed and the bone in the mandible resorbed

• means that the person lived long enough for its mouth to heal; can only be achieved if you have assistance from other members of your group

• level of social sophistication is beyond primates