Earliest humans

After the unique complex of features distinguishing a man from Primates developed–that is bipedalism, making and using of tools and living in groups – people began evolving much faster. As far back as one million six hundred thousand years ago a new type of men was formed–Homo ergaster. Its reconstruction you can see on the left shelf on the right. It differed from its predecessor, first of all, due to the larger size – the height of one meter and eighty centimeters and bigger cranial capacity – over eight hundred cubic centimeters. Homo ergaster were already skillful hunters. From this moment we can speak not only of biological but also of cultural evolution of men–gain and transfer of experience from one generation to another. Homo ergaster made two most important discoveries in the history of mankind. The first one was the invention of a hand point – you can find it on the lower shelf of the showcase. These massive stone implements were used not only for butchering but also for hunting, digging of holes, cutting of trees and grass. It should be noted that the accuracy of stone surfacing goes beyond the demand of functionality – you can see that the hand point is symmetrical in shape and has smooth edges. And the second not less important invention was conscious use of fire. Look at the picture next to the showcase. Traces of ancient fire-pit in Africa (age of 1.4 mln. years) were discovered in Chesowanja archeological site in Kenya in 1981. Here you can see ashes and burnt pieces of clay which served as a shield against the wind. They helped ancient hunters to regulate the flame of fires made in open spaces. But it is still not known who was the first to use fire for heating-up, food preparation, protection against predators and hunting–Homo habilis or Homo ergaster. Scientists suggest that fire was already used by Homo habilis. It should be noted that even today in drought seasons in the African savannah involuntary fires can occur claiming lives of numerous inhabitants of savannah. Such animals that could not hide from fire in time and were fried on natural fire could have been eaten by Homo habilis. In order to get such fried food in the future Homo habilis had to master fire given by the nature. However, there is still no reliable information confirming this suggestion. Later fire made it possible for humans to be independent of climate and spread their places of settlement. Fire provided ancient people with warmth, and was used for food preparation, protection of homes and hunting. When they learned how to use fire, people were less dependent of nature. A million and a half years ago Homo ergaster went beyond their historical homeland – East African savannah–giving rise to a variety of ancient people or ape men, who reclaimed not only the whole Africa but also the Europe spreading to the North up to temperate zones. All this variety of ancient men has one specific name – Homo erectus. Their reconstructions (historical name–Pithecanthropus) can be seen on the shelf at the left of the showcase. This species usually includes Homo erectus of Indonesia, Peking Men of Eastern Asia, East African Homo erectus, Atlanthropus from North Africa and findings of the oldest hominids in Europe. This species appeared over a million and a half years ago and became extinct around two hundred thousand years ago. Proceed to the right side of showcase number twenty-seven. Here you can see a mock-up of a house of Peking Men, the remains of whom were found in Zhoukoudian archeological site 60 km from current Beijing. Peking Men lived here in the caves about 400 thousand years ago; in one of these caves archeologists have found reliable traces of fire use in the form of heavy layer of ashes and pieces of charred wood with the thickness of about 7 m. Proceed to the left side of showcase number twenty-seven The late or progressive ape men inhabiting Africa, Europe and Central Asia in the period from six hundred to one hundred fifty thousand years ago belong to a separate species–Homo rhodesiensis or Homo heidelbergensis. You can see its bust on the extreme left of the showcase. Homo heidelbergensis compared to Homo ergaster and Homo erectus had many progressive characteristic features: cranial capacity of more than one thousand two hundred cubic centimeters and absence of dense processus supraorbitalis. Proceed to the left side of showcase. You can see a mock-up of a habitation of European archanthropes, dwelling in summers on the Mediterranean Sea coast 400 thousand years ago. Their dwellings had the form of a hut made of branches. In the center of the dwelling there was a fireplace, an area of burnt sand of which was left as an evidence. Neanderthals and Sapiens came from Homo heidelbergensis; we will talk about them a bit later. Let’s proceed around the hall to showcase number 29.