Genus Homo-descended from gracile australopiths-early species more like australopiths (more ancestral)
Distinguishing characteristic: tool use
Homo habilis - 'handy man'
2.4 mya
East Africa
Brain size: 631 cc
Tool use: Oldowan tool industry
First stone toolsOldowan tool industry
~2.6 mya earliest stone tools
-sites of Homo with scattered tools, debris, butchered animal bones
*Choppers: crack bones open for marrow (rich nutritional source)
*Flakes: disposable - used to butcher
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Homo erectus - significantly different kind of hominin-likely descended from H. habilis
-H. erectus were the first hominins to leave Africa and did so soon after their East Africa origins.
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H. erectus - general facts
fl. 1.7 mya-150 kya
Brain size: ranges from 700 - 1250 cc, i.e., 900 cc average cranial capacity
Dentition: modern, human-like teeth
Tools/behavior: new tool industry, fire? hunting?
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Survey of morphology
Bigger body size ~5'6
Skull structure-thick cranial bones/denser
-large brow ridge;
-no forehead/chin;
-nuchal torus
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Tools and behaviorAcheulian tool industry-used consistently over 1 my
Bifaces
-2 planes; teardrop-shaped tool
-think: ancient swiss army knife
-more tool usage vs hunting
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Fire
Wonderwerk cave; 1 mya; S. Africa-evidence first controlled fire use and cooking
Tools and behavior
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Question: Why would using fire benefit us?
-warmth, protection, extends the day
Cooking-less energy required to consume cooked meat AND beans, tubers, etc-safer and lasts longer (smoke or dry meat)
Meat = high-value source of calories-perfect for fueling our energy-hogging brains which became bigger over time
Tools and behavior
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Hunting?
Scavengers and persistence hunters
-strategy using H. erectus advanced, bipedalism to "walk animals to death"
Tools and behavior
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Important H. erectus sites and datesAfrica
1. Koobi fora, East Africa; 1.7 mya;
-earliest agreed upon H. erectus
-more ancestral: sexual dimorphism, smaller stature
-nuchal torus
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Important H. erectus sites and datesOut of Africa
2. Dmanisi, Rep of Georgia; 1.7 mya;
-earliest H. erectus out of Africa
-small brain cases
-Oldowan-like tools
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Important Homo erectus sites and datesAsia
3. Java; 1.6 mya
-in less than 100,000 yrs, H. erectus were living in Indonesia
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Important Homo erectus sites and datesAsia continued
4. Zhoukoudian caves, China; 750-200 kya
-45 individuals
-rare: stone tools (mostly used by African H. erectus populations)
