Homo erectus

1
Homo erectus

• Chapter 11

2
Objectives

• Assess physical characteristics regarding brain,
  body size and cranial morphology
• Fossil sites from various areas in Africa, Asia
  and Europe

3
Homo erectus

• 1.8 m.y.a. to 250,000 y.a.
• Migrated out of Africa
• Two species? or none?
• Direct line with modern homo sapiens

4
Homo erectus

• New grade of evolution
• Similar adaptative pattern
• European/African sites Homo ergaster Asian
  sites Homo erectus

5
Pleistocene 1.8 m. to 10,000 y.a.

• Ice Age
• Hominids leave Africa culture used to adapt to
  environmental changes

6
Brain and body size

• 750 1250cc with a mean of 900cc (25 to 40)
• Body size larger and more robust than H.habilis
• Cranium changed to compensate for an increase in
  brain/body size
• Reduction in tooth size

7
Shape of the cranium

• Overall pentagonal shape
• Large brow ridges
• Low forehead
• Nuchal torus
• Sagittal ridge (keel)
• Broad at the base
• Shovel shaped incisors

8
Shovel-shaped incisors
9
Postcranial bones

• Nariokotome WT15000 (West Turkana) 1.6 mya
• Vertebral column
• Pelvic brim

10
Dmansi 1999

• Republic of Georgia
• 1.7 mya Homo erectus in Europe
• Primitive, small-brained hominid with large
  canines.
• More similar to early Homo
• Question Was Homo erectus the first hominid to
  leave Africa?

11
Java (Indonesia)

• Eugene Dubois (1858-1940)
• Pithecanthropus erectus
• Skull cap and femur
• Sangiran (1.6 mya), Ngandong (50 to 25,000 y.a)

12
Zhoukoudian (China)

• 500,000 to 200,000 y.a.
• 40 individuals (male and female)
• High infant and young adult mortality
• WWII - original homo erectus fossils were lost
• Other chinese sites Lantian (650,000 ya), Hexian
  (250,000 ya)

13
Zhoukoudian - culture

• Inhabitants of the cave or scavenger deposits?
• First controlled use of fire?

14
Acheulian stone tools

• Zhoukhoudian increase in sophistication of tools
• Bi-face

15
East/South Africa

• East Turkana ER3733, 1.8 m.y.a
• Olduvai OH9, 1.4 m.y.a
• South Africa - SK 15, Swartkrans 1.3 to 1.0 m.y.a
• Associated with the controlled use of fire

16
Acheulian stone tool culture

• Scrapers, burins, retouched flakes and awls
• Africa, Southwestern Asia and Europe

17
Trends in homo erectus

• Gradual increase in cranial capacity, decrease in
  robust body form, more protrusive nose.
• Gradual sophistication of the biface and the
  Acheulian tool assemblage.
• Potential hunter and scavenger
• Gathering of wild plant foods

18
Summary

• First out of Africa?
• Distinct cranial morphology
• Acheulian tool kit bi-face
• Control of fire?
• Culture (adaptative strategy)