Homo erectus and the Emergence of Hunting and Gathering

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Chapter 8

• Homo erectus and the Emergence of Hunting and
  Gathering

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Chapter Outline

• Who Was Homo erectus?
• What were the cultural capabilities of Homo
  erectus?
• What were the consequences of Homo erectus
  improved abilities to adapt through culture?

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Who Was Homo erectus?

• The direct descendant of early members of the
  genus Homo.
• Populations of Homo erectus were widespread
  between about 1.8 million and 400,000 y.a.

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Cultural Capabilities of Homo erectus

• Tools were better made, and there was a greater
  variety of tool types.
• Tool kits varied regionally.
• Developed the use of fire, and improved
  organizational skills.

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Names For Homo erectus Fossils

• Homo antecessor - Coined for the earliest
  fossils from Spain antecessor is Latin for
  explorer or pioneer.
• Homo heidelbergensis - Coined for the Mauer jaw
  but now used for all European fossils from about
  500,000 y.a. until the appearance of the
  Neandertals.

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Sites of Homo erectus Remains
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H. habilis and H. erectus

• If one evolved from the other, at some point the
  full range of variation included individuals that
  resembled H. habilis, whereas others were taking
  on the appearance of H. erectus.

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Homo erectus Physical Characteristics

• Skeleton differs only subtly from that of modern
  humans.
• Heavily muscled, rib cage conical rather than
  barrel-shaped, and narrower hips.
• Stature seems to have been in modern range.

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Homo erectus Physical Characteristics

• Long legs and short toes made for effective
  long-distance walking.
• Notably larger than Homo habilis, displayed
  significantly less sexual dimorphism.
• Cranial capacity ranged from 700 to 1,225 cubic
  centimeters.

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Homo erectus Physical Characteristics

• Head was long and narrow with width greater than
  height.
• Shape of the inside of the braincase showed near
  modern development of the brain.
• Sloping forehead and receding chin.
• Powerful jaws with large teeth, a protruding
  mouth, and huge neck muscles.

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Acheulean Tools

• 10 of the shaped tools in a typical Acheulean
  assemblage are the forms drawn here.

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Homo erectus Ability to Cross Open water

• Evidenced by the presence of stone tools on the
  Indonesian island Flores.

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Regions of the Human Brain
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Hypoglossal Canal
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Homo erectus Culture

• Refinement of stone tool making technology.
• Fire was used for protection, warmth and cooking.
  
• Improved organization and planning abilities.

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Acheulean Tool Making

• Hand axe a teardrop-shaped tool pointed at one
  end with a sharp cutting edge all around.
• In East Africa, the earliest hand axes are about
  1.6 million years old.
• Shapes of hand axes and other Acheulean tools are
  more standardized, reflecting preconceived
  designs.

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Use of Fire

• Firecracked basalt cobbles were found with
  artifacts and bones in a 700,000-year-old rock
  shelter in Thailand.
• The rocks were not native to the shelter and were
  probably carried in by hominines.
• The bones in the hearth show evidence of
  butchering and burning.

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Aspects of Homo erectus Culture

• Increasingly sophisticated shelter construction.
• Use of clothing for warmth.
• Learning to hunt and organizing hunt parties.
• Developed symbolic life.