Homo erectus

Question 1

When were Homo erectus and ergaster around?

Answer 1

Homo erectus: 0.5-1.8MYA
Homo ergaster: 1.5-1.9 MYA

Question 2

What did H habilis evolve from?

Answer 2

A. africanus
Meaning H. ergaster/erectus moved out of Africa.

Question 3

What did H. rudolfensis evolve from?

Answer 3

K. platytops

Question 4

How long did migration from Africa to East Asia take?

Answer 4

25,000 years
(Based on glacial pace of population expansion - 15km per generation)

Question 5

Outline the Out of Africa evolution.

Answer 5

Homo rudolfensis -> Homo ergastas (which moves into Asia) -> Homo erectus -> Archaic sapiens (including neanderthals), then spreads to Africa also.

Question 6

What brain size is Homo erectus?

Answer 6

850cc

Question 7

What was the life span of Homo ergaster/erectus?

Answer 7

52 years

Question 8

What were Homo ergaster/erectus like?

Answer 8

Similar to humans but more robust and heavily muscled.

Question 9

Did Homo ergaster/erectus have sexual dimorphism?

Answer 9

Had decreasing sexual dimporphism, which may suggest a change in social dynamics.
Males similar size, meaning they worked together in groups.

Question 10

What is a biface tool and a non biface tool?

Answer 10

Biface: hand axe
Non biface: chopping tool

Question 11

When did acheulian tools appear?

Answer 11

Africa: 1.4 MYA
Israel: 1 MYA
Europe: 0.9 MYA
But never made it to East Asia (possible because bamboo wasn’t tough so did not need tools, or lacked the raw materials)

Question 12

How was Homo ergaster/erectus a new grade of hominin?

Answer 12

• First case of extended childhood (brain grows through childhood to avoid being born with large head)
• Systematic tool making
• First use of fire
• Systematic hunting
• First genuine home bases
• First migration of hominins beyond Africa
• Had simple human like socioeconomics