Introduction
Human evolution is a process of change from primate or ape ancestors. According to scientific research, all humans’ behavioral and physical characteristics originated in primates and have evolved over the past 6 million years (Potts, 2022). One of the first human characteristics, dating back more than 4 million years, was the ability of ape-like ancestors to walk on two legs, also called bipedalism. Other essential characteristics that humans have recently acquired include a sophisticated and considerable ability to speak, create, and use tools.
The study of human evolution began in the early 1890s when Dubois discovered Homo erectus. The fossils of Homo erectus had a human-like physical form, with short arms and long legs. Homo erectus used Acheulian tools to scavenge meat and to produce fire for cooking (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 2022). Archaeologists have discovered fossils in many regions of the world. This essay explores the origin of Homo erectus, where fossils were discovered, cultural accomplishments, and the relationship of Homo erectus to modern humans.
Geographical Location
Homo erectus was one of the most widely distributed species geographically. Most scientists agree that of the human species, the Homo erectus has lived the longest. According to scientific data, all human ancestors before Homo erectus resided in Africa. However, other species left the African region and spread to western Asia, then to eastern Asia, and eventually to Indonesia (Margvelashvili et al., 2022).
Richard Leakey and his team discovered a small piece of the skull in the Turkana region. This fossil dates to around 1.9 million years ago, indicating that the species originated in Africa (Margvelashvili et al., 2022). In 1891, Eugene Dubois, a Dutch physician, discovered Homo erectus fossils in Java, Indonesia. Dubois discovered significant artifacts, including the upper portion of the skull and thigh bone. These fossils were comprehensive enough to show the Homo erectus anatomical structures and patterns.
At the beginning of 1991, David Lordkipanidze and his team discovered Homo erectus fossils in Dmanisi, Georgia, located in western Asia. The Dmanisi fossil, dated between 1.8 and 1.85 million years ago, was the most intact Homo erectus skull (Margvelashvili et al., 2022). This species also seems to have existed in China and other East Asian countries until about 300,000 years ago.
There is conflicting evidence suggesting that Homo erectus also existed in the Philippines, Taiwan, and Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. On the other hand, it is unclear whether this species has spread into Europe (Louys et al., 2021). The fossils from Dmanisi, Georgia, match the grassland fauna and forests of southern Europe that date to around 1.8 million years. This evidence indicates that human occupation existed in the location.
Key Fossil Forms
In 1984, the archaeologist Kamoya Kimeu discovered a Homo erectus fossil in Nariokotome, western Turkana. This fossil, commonly known as the Turkana boy, dates back about 6 million years (Clark, 2022). The ‘Turkana Boy’ skeleton has provided archaeologists with a wealth of information on Homo erectus’ shape, growth rate, and body size. Based on the idea that bones from one end of the body reveal the structure of the other, archaeologists believe the Turkana boy’s skeleton was approximately 40% complete.
The Turkana boy had a male pelvic structure, with second molars emerging. He also had a small tooth structure, indicating he was about 9 years old. When this species died, it weighed 48 kilograms and was 1.6 meters tall (Clark, 2022). The skull’s capacity was about 880 cubic centimeters at death, but experts believe it would have increased to 909 cubic centimeters if he had reached adulthood (Clark, 2022). These features indicated that Turkana Boy belonged to the Homo erectus species.
All the vertebral column bones were damaged, resulting in delayed mobility and mild curvature. Even though the reason for his death at a young age remains a mystery, scientists suspect that the deformities played a role in his death. Despite having a condition that limited his range of motion, his anatomical structure shows narrow shoulders and long legs, typical of people living in arid, hot climates today (Clark, 2022). Homo erectus’s large legs allowed him to walk and potentially sprint considerable distances. Turkana boys made and used large cutting tools, such as hand axes and stone flakes, which archaeologists have discovered across the Turkana Basin.
After three years in China, Otto Zdansky, an Austrian paleontologist, made groundbreaking findings of fossil faunas that substantially improved the scientific knowledge of Chinese vertebrate evolution. In 1929, Zdansky went on his first field visit to Zhoukoudian, where he excavated the first human fossil. These species, commonly called Peking Man, existed approximately 400,000 years ago (Zhang & Shen, 2020).
Peking man had a prominent brow ridge at the forehead, a bulging occipital torus, and a sloping forehead, which are typical characteristics of Homo erectus. In December 1941, when war was about to break out in China, the archaeologists moved the fossils to the United States for protection. All the original fossils vanished during transportation except for two teeth (Zhang & Shen, 2020). Fortunately, exceptional descriptions and casts of the Peking man, which archaeologists made before transportation, have survived, and scientists now use them to study extensive Homo erectus fragments from the region.
Homo Erectus Tools
Hand axes are the most common Acheulian tools reported from Homo erectus sites. However, these tools account for only a modest proportion of those retrieved from these areas (Semaw et al., 2020). In reality, these Homo erectus created a vast range of stone tools for preparing various animal and plant materials. For instance, their Acheulian tool kit contained hammers, flakes, choppers, and cleavers. This human species manufactured tools from perishable materials like grass, wood, and bark, which were easy to weave and twist into ropes and strings.
Evidence also shows that Homo erectus used fire to protect against predators, to provide warmth, and to provide light. They also used fire for cooking, which was necessary for survival. Scientists discovered charred bone fragments and ash in a sedimentary layer in Wonderwerk Cave, South Africa, dating to 1 million years (Semaw et al., 2020). These scientists argue that the ash had grown too deep within the cave to be created by a lightning bolt.
Relationship with Modern Man
According to scientific evidence, Homo erectus is probably the earliest human with features most similar to those of modern humans. The femur bone of the upper section of Homo erectus is comparable in size to that of other great apes. However, the tilted section resembles modern people (Bastir et al., 2020).
The human species walked upright because it developed a strong connection between the pelvis and the legs to support body weight. Modern humans also have a curved spine, as evidenced by Homo erectus fossils. Similarly, the structure and size of Homo erectus’ pelvic bones are identical to those of contemporary humans, indicating that the earliest humans began walking, unlike previous species famous for climbing.
Extinction
Homo erectus’ extinction was a significant turning point in human history. Recent fossil data indicate that the species disappeared around 117 thousand years ago (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 2021). The latest dates from Java indicate that Homo erectus coexisted with Homo sapiens at that time but became extinct before modern humans reached Southeast Asia. The last Homo erectus population lived in this region.
Due to climate change, the areas in which Homo erectus lived turned into deserts. The population’s failure to advance technologically and intellectually when the areas turned dry led to their death. These species were very conservative and lazy; fossil samples show that, even as their surroundings changed, they did not upgrade their tools.
While other scientists argue that Homo erectus evolved into other species like Homo sapiens, Louis Leakey contended vehemently that Homo erectus populations, especially in the African region, coincide in time with more sophisticated Homo sapiens and hence cannot represent the latter’s ancestors (Faith et al.,2020). Examination of the anatomical traits displayed by these fossils has supported Leakey’s standpoint. Therefore, based on the research, it can only be concluded that Homo erectus went extinct due to harsh environmental conditions.
Conclusion
Homo erectus is a species that archaeologists date back to 2 million years in Africa. Among these archaeologists is Dubois, who discovered one of the first fossils in 1891 in the Java region of Indonesia. Homo erectus also existed in the East African Region, particularly in the Turkana Lake basin. This species, also called the Turkana boy, had the features of a nine-year-old boy.
Homo erectus was the first species to use and craft tools such as hammers and axes. They used these tools to hunt for food and to produce fire. Homo erectus later became extinct about 117 thousand years ago due to harsh climatic conditions.
References
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