Recent development of Homo Erectus

 

Homo Erectus 

Homo Erectus is an extinct species of hominin that lived approximately 2 to 0.25 million years ago. They were some of the first hominins to walk fully upright and had a more human like posture and body structure compared to their predecessors. 

Some subspecies of Homo Erectus:

• Homo Erectus Erectus (Java Man)
• Homo Erectus Peckinensis (China Man)
• Homo Erectus Narmadaensis (Narmada Man)
• Homo Erectus Heidelbergensis (Heidelberg Man)

Some fossils evidences found in places: 

Geographical distribution of Homo Erectus:

The first fossil was discovered by Eugene Dubois in 1891. He gave the name of Homo Erectus as Pithecanthropus Erectus (Erect Man) however later Janush gave the name Homo Erectus as he is not a connecting link between Man and Ape but an evolutionary stage of man with erect posture.

Homo Erectus holds the significant place in the field of anthropology and the study of human evolution. Here are some ways in which Homo Erectus is important in anthropology:

1. Understanding human Evolution: Homo Erectus is a crucial species to understand the human evolution. They represent a transitional phase between earlier hominins and modern humans. 
2. Bipedalism and Upright posture: Homo Erectus is known for its fully upright posture. The study of their skull remains and locomotion helps anthropologists understanding the evolution of bipedalism.
3. Tools and Technology: The Acheulean tools associated with Homo Erectus demonstrate in significant advancement in stone tool technology. This development is indicative of increased cognitive abilities and has implications for our understanding of the evolution of intelligence and culture.
4. Migration and dispersal: Homo Erectus is believed to be the first hominin species to migrate out of Africa. Studying their dispersal across different regions, such as Asia, helps anthropologists explore the early human colonization of various parts of the world. 
5. Social structure and behavior: anthropologists study Homo Erectus to gain insights into their social structure, hunting and gathering behaviour, and the potential use of fire. These aspects provide clues about the development of complex social interactions in early humans.
6. Comparative Anatomy: Comparative Anatomy between Homo Erectus and other hominin species allows anthropologists to identify key evolutionary changes that occur during this stage of human evolution.
7. Extinction and successors: The study of Homo Erectus helps to trace the factors that may have led to their eventual extinction and the emergence of later hominin species, including Homo Sapiens.

Physical Features of Homo Erectus:

1. Cranial capacity: 750 cc to 1250 cc (1260 cc = Narmada Man). The cranial capacity is much more than Australopithecus and within the range of Homo Sapiens (820cc - 2300 cc).
2. Skull: Skull bones are thicker than modern man. Skull is more rounded than Australopithecus but lesser than Homo Sapiens. Brow ridges were big and prominent prognathism. Presence of mastoid process shows it was bipedal. 

   3. Dental features: Parabolic dental arcade  and smaller diastema in some fossils. Teeth are smaller than Australopithecus but larger than humans. 

Shovel shaped incisors and slightly projected incisors, important role because they ate uncooked food. Presence of torso dontism with enlargement of body of tooth and pulp chamber. 

   4. Forehead: Forehead appears in Australopithecus but it is slanting backwards and becomes somewhat vertically structured in Homo Erectus and convex in Homo Sapiens.

   5. Linea Aspera is well developed. This makes Homo Erectus walk bipedally, better than the walk of Australopithecus.

In other post cranial anatomy, there is not much difference between Homo Erectus and Homo Sapiens. 

Cultural Features:

1. Tools- bifacial (Abevellion and Acheulean), Chopper - chopping, clactonian, Levallosian.

2. Hunting: Many broken long bones of erectus time have been found. At Ambroma and Torralsa in Spain, evidence of hunting big animals like elephants has been found.

3. Language: the development of language followed the progress of tool technology, hunting and gathering acted as selective forces. These favoured the development of memory sites in occipital lobe, thinking sites in frontal lobe and different motor areas in cerebral cortex in the brain, thereby enabling the erectus population with more than symbolic behaviour. 

4. Use of fire: 

First, but debatable evidence of use of fire by man has been 1.5 Mya remains at Turkana and Baringo lakes.

At Swart Krans, the definite evidences of use of fire by Erectus are one million years old. The use of fire improved the chances of survival.

5. Rituals: In Spain, along with fossils of Homo Erectus, his stone tools and animal bones have also been found. A rib of Bison with two parallel lines engraved has been found which might have been used for rituals.

6. Habitations: residential - near water bodies.

Evolutionary status of Homo Erectus:

In anthropology, Homo Erectus serves as a crucial reference point for understanding the broader context of human evolution, as they are one of the most well-documented and widely distributed species in the hominin lineage. Researchers continue to make new discoveries and refine our understanding of this species, shedding light on the path that ultimately led to the emergence of modern humans.