Important Hominin / Homo Fossils from Prehistoric Period

Here are some important hominin / Homo fossils from Prehistoric Period

Ardi (Ardipithecus ramidus)

• Ardi is a fossil of Ardipithecus ramidus, a species that lived around 4.4 million years ago.
• The fossil was discovered in Ethiopia in 1994 by a team led by paleoanthropologist Tim White.
• Ardi is one of the oldest and most complete hominid fossils ever discovered.
• The name ‘Ardi’ is short for Ardipithecus, meaning “ground/floor”, and ‘ramidus’ meaning “root” in Afar language.
• Ardi’s skeleton suggests she was capable of walking upright on two legs and also skilled at climbing trees.
• The A. ramidus fossils indicate that the species had a small brain, projecting face, very thin enamel on their teeth.
• Unlike modern apes, A. ramidus men and women did not seem to have a marked size difference, indicating a lack of male competition.
• Ardi’s habitat appears to have been woodland, contradicting theories that humans descended from tree-living primates.
• Ardi had opposable big toes, useful for tree-climbing, but different from later hominids who lost this feature in favor of better bipedal locomotion.
• Studies of Ardi’s hand and wrist bones reveal that she was unlikely to have been a knuckle-walker, as is common with other apes and some ancestral hominids.

Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis)

• Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis) was discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. Lucy is believed to have lived around 3.2 million years ago during the Pliocene epoch.
• The name Lucy came from the Beatles’ song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” which was playing in the camp during the excavation. However, its scientific name was A.L. 288-1.
• Lucy was a female hominin of the species Australopithecus afarensis. Her discovery confirmed that humans started bipedalism before brain expansion.
• Although not complete, Lucy’s skeleton is 40% intact, making it one of the most comprehensive for a hominid of that time.
• Lucy stood at about 3.5ft tall and weighed around 29kg relatively small compared to modern humans.
• Key features in Lucy’s anatomy, like the structure of her pelvis and knees, suggest that she could walk upright like modern humans.
• Lucy’s discovery was significant as it provided a physical link between apes and humans, thus establishing an evolutionary connection.
• The species Australopithecus afarensis, which Lucy belonged to, mostly ate fruits, vegetables, and small animals.

Turkana Boy (Homo erectus)

• The Turkana Boy fossil is a nearly complete skeleton of a hominid who died in the early Pleistocene.
• The specimen was discovered in 1984 by Kamoya Kimeu, a member of a team led by Richard Leakey near Lake Turkana in Kenya.
• The Turkana Boy is classified as Homo Erectus and is believed to be approximately 1.5 – 1.6 million years old.
• This fossil is the most complete early human skeleton ever found, with approximately 90 percent of its bone volume present.
• The individual is estimated to have been around 8 to 11 years old at the time of death but was already 1.6 meters tall and may have reached 1.85 meters as an adult.
• The Turkana Boy had a cranial capacity of 880 cubic centimeters, suggesting that Homo erectus had a smaller brain than modern humans.
• The skeleton displays evidence of a spinal disorder, possibly scoliosis, but the cause of death is unknown.
• He walked fully upright, and his body proportions are comparable to those of modern humans, which would have enabled long-distance travel.

Peking Man (Homo erectus)

• Peking Man (Homo erectus pekinensis) was discovered near Beijing, China. It lived approx. 5 Lakh years ago and its discovery challenged prevailing theories about where modern humans evolved, by providing evidence of human evolution in East Asia.
• Peking Man was originally thought to be an advanced ape, but is now considered an early form of human.
• The fossils of Peking Man were lost during World War II, under mysterious circumstances. All that remains are cast replicas.
• Peking Man was found alongside evidence of tool use and evidence of fire usage, marking one of the earliest records of fire used by hominids.
• According to studies, Peking Man was not a direct ancestor of modern humans, but rather a distant cousin.

Java Man (Homo erectus)

• Java man is the popular name of early human fossils found in 1891 in Java, Indonesia.
• The discovery of Java Man was the first to suggest that early man originated from Asia, not Europe.
• Java Man is believed to have lived around 1.5 million years ago.
• The scientific name given by Dubois to Java Man was Anthropopithecus erectus, later changed to Pithecanthropus erectus.
• Java Man was a skilled tool maker, with evidence of hand axes being found nearby.

Neanderthal specimens

• First discovered in Germany’s Neander Valley in 1856, Neanderthals are not our ancestors, rather they are a separate branch of the hominid family tree better described as our ‘sibling’ species.
• Neanderthals were not just carnivores. Despite popular belief, they were omnivores who also ate plant-based food.
• They were artists. Perforated seashells colored with ochre pigments have been found at Neanderthal sites, suggesting they made jewellery.
• The last Neanderthals died out around 40,000 years ago, in what is now Gibraltar.
• Neanderthals had a keen sense of hearing, similar to that of modern humans, making them effective communicators.
• They were not lacking in intelligence, evidenced by their hunting tactics, ability to use fire, and craftsmanship.
• Neanderthals and modern humans coexisted in Europe for about 5,000 years, which led to instances of interbreeding.
• Neanderthal DNA is still present in modern humans’ genomes. People of non-African descent may carry about 1-2% of Neanderthal DNA.
• The average Neanderthal brain was slightly larger than that of a modern human.
• Neanderthals used complex hunting strategies to ambush and kill their prey, rather than relying on strength alone.

Cro-Magnon (early Homo sapiens)

• Cro-Magnon is the name given to the first early modern humans of the European Upper Paleolithic.
• The term “Cro-Magnon” has no formal taxonomic status, as it refers to a single site, not a species or subspecies.
• The remains first discovered in Cro-Magnon, France, are estimated to be about 30,000 years old.
• Cro-Magnons lived during a period known as the Ice Age and survived by hunting big game animals.
• Their tools are some of the most effective and sophisticated of any prehistoric period.
• Cro-Magnons are known for their cave paintings and engravings, such as those found at Lascaux and Chauvet.
• Cro-Magnons created intricately carved tools, jewelry, and statues of animals and pregnant women.
• Their physical appearance was similar to modern Asians and Europeans, characterized by long, low skulls, and a prominent face.
• Cro-Magnon were anatomically modern, straight limbed and tall compared to the contemporary Neanderthals.
• Despite their sophistication, Cro-Magnon, like all Homo sapiens, had a brain size comparable to modern humans.

Denisovans

• Denisovans are a subspecies of archaic humans in the genus Homo.
• The name Denisovan is derived from Denisova Cave in Altai Krai, Russia where the first specimen was found.
• Denisovans are known from few remains, and their classification as a distinct species is controversial.
• Modern humans carry traces of Denisovan DNA in their genome, suggesting interbreeding in the past.
• The Denisovan genome also contains a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA, indicating an ancient genetic overlap.
• It is estimated that Denisovans diverged from our lineage around 600,000 years ago.
• Denisovans had the ability to adapt to extreme environments, including high-altitude regions of the Tibetan Plateau.
• A bracelet found in the Denisova cave site is considered the oldest known jewellery artifact, dating back to the Denisovan era.

Narmada Man (possible Homo erectus)

Narmada Man or Narmada Human is the earliest Homo species of Indian sub-continent. This fossil was found on banks of Narmada River in Hathnora Village of Madhya Pradesh in 1982. Narmada Man used to live 2.5 Lakh years ago and belonged to Homo erectus species. It is only authentic record of a Homo species fossil from Stone Age in India.