1. Homo erectus
Discovered: 19th century in China, Java; later in Africa Age range: 1.8 my – 350,000 years Geographic distribution: China, S.E. Asia, E. Africa, S. Africa, N. Africa, possibly Europe Type specimen: Turkana Boy (1.6 myo) by Richard Leakey in Kenya; most complete hominid skeleton Cranial capacity: 750 – 1250 cc Features: weight/height increases; heavy body build

2. Homo erectus
Features: Cranial features are very distinct; sagittal ridge
Notes: First hominid to leave Africa (around 1.7 – 1.5 mya)
First hominid to USE fire (500,000 ya)
Cook meat, keep warm, light, socialize
Made Acheulian stone tools
multipurpose hand axes (1.4 mya in Africa)
Modified flake tools
Language centers developed – capable of speech

3. Acheulian Hand Axes

4. Classifying Homo erectus
Based on cranial & behavioral features
Homo ergaster – African species
Homo erectus – Asian species; did not make hand axes
Homo antecessor – European species dated at 780,000 ya in Spain

5. Scavenging vs. Hunting H. habilis = evidence supports scavenging
H. erectus = scavenging, hunting, cooking of meat

6. Recap of Defining the Genus Homo
Anatomical differences from Australopithecines
Larger, more rounded braincase
Less projecting face
Smaller back teeth
Eventually, larger body

7. 2. Cultural changes More animal based diet
Expanding ranges/territories w/growing populations
More food processing with tools
Intelligence becoming primary survival strategy
Conclusion: Bio-cultural evolution firmly established with genus Homo hominids

8. Australopithecus sediba
Discovered 2008 in South Africa; publicized in 2010
Dated at 2 myo
Within range of Early Homo & robust australopithicenes
More than 220 bones (more than any early Homo bones combined); all ages & both sexes represented
Evidence that human like traits did not evolve as “full package”
A. sediba shows mix of australopith & later Homo traits
Primitive heel bones – more primitive than Lucy
Is A. sediba from another lineage?
Analysis of skin may provide DNA
Analysis of teeth may have remains of food

9. Australopithecus sediba

10. Evolutionary Turning Points
Bipedalism – defining hominid feature
Manufacture of Stone Tools
Meat eating
Brain expansion
More sophisticated tools
Better/safer hunting opportunities = more meat
More reliance on cultural innovations
Language
More complex social organization