1. THE HOMINIDS
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

2. Australopithecus afarensis
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

3. Australopithecus afarensis
3.9 – 2.9 Ma
Climate changing. Antarctic ice cap advance 5 Ma
Distribution: Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
Cranial capacity: 380 – 450 cm3
Height: 1.07m
Bipedal (footprints 3.6 Ma old) /climber
U-shaped dental arcade but reduced canines
Arboreal / terrestrial herbivore
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

4. Australopithecus africanus
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

5. Australopithecus africanus
3 – 2.25 Ma
Cooling of climate reduced rainfall
Further advance of Antarctic ice
Appearance of Arctic ice 2.4Ma
Development of scrubland and savannah
Forest cover retreats
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

6. Australopithecus africanus
Distribution: Southern and Eastern Africa
Cranial capacity: 500 cm3 (Chimp = 400cm3)
Bipedal
20 – 35 kg
Rounder skull
Parabolic dental arcade
Longevity: 40 years maximum
Scavenger of bone marrow/brain cases
Used simple tools
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

7. Australopithecus (Paranthropus) robustus
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

8. Australopithecus (Paranthropus) robustus
2 – 1 Ma
Cooling of climate reduced rainfall
Development of scrubland and savannah Forest retreats
Distribution: S. Africa
Diet: Roots and tough fibrous vegetable matter
Cranial capacity: 500 cm3 (Chimp = 400cm3)
Bipedal
40 –70 kg Sexual dimorphism (males twice as bulky as females)
Large cheek teeth
Heavy muscular skull
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

9. Homo habilis - the handy man
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

10. Homo habilis 2.6 -1.4 Ma E. Africa
Scavenging significant part of the diet
Cranial capacity: 600 – 800 cm3
Height: 1.20 – 1.35m
Simple fashioned tools – choppers (Oldowan culture)
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

11. Homo erectus – the upright man
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

12. Homo erectus 1.8 to 0.5 Ma 0.9 Ma beginning of the Pleistocene ice age
Oscillations between cold and warm periods
Spread out of Africa (1.6Ma) throughout the old world
Scavenging to hunting
Use of a home base
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

13. Homo erectus Cranial capacity: 850 – 1100 cm3 (H. sapiens = 1350 cm3)
Use of fire
Height 1.55 to 1.8m
Extended childhood
1st molar at 4.6 years old (H. sapiens = 5.9y)
Greater longevity  52 years
Speech? (Brain says: yes; spine says: no)
Improved tools: Hand axes (Acheulian culture)
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

14. Homo neanderthalensis
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

15. Homo neanderthalensis
to years ago
Europe, Middle East, into Central Asia
Evolved from H. erectus populations perhaps via H. heidelbergensis, then became extinct
Adapted to the ice-age conditions of temperate zone
Large nose may have warmed cold air
The enigma of its extinction is not explained
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

16. Homo neanderthalensis
Cranial capacity: 1400 cm3 (H. sapiens = 1350 cm3)
Brow ridge, long low skull
Height: 1.67m
Stocky build
Improved sophisticated tools (Mousterian culture)
Sometimes buried their dead
Made simple jewellery
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

17. Homo sapiens
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

18. Homo sapiens From 150 000 years ago to present
Originating in Southern Africa then went worldwide
Reached Europe about years ago
Cooling of the climate during the last glacial period from about a led to their predominance over other species (e.g. H. neanderthalensis)
Omnivore
Alters environment
Domestication of species, farming
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

19. Homo sapiens Cranial capacity: 1350 cm3 (range 1000 to 2000 cm3)
20% of the body’s energy consumption for 5% of body mass
Speech
Art
Extensive tool kit including new materials (bone, ivory, antler)
Symbolic thought
1st molar tooth 5.9 years old
Longevity 66 years
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS