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Homo Erectus Essay

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Homo Erectus

In the quest to explain human origins it is necessary to find a species that bridges modern man (Homo sapiens) with the apes. To fill this gap evolutionists have set forth Homo erectus, who lived approximately 400,000 to 1.6 million years ago (Johanson and Shreeve1989). Although the distinctions are somewhat vague, below the neck, Homo sapiens and Homo erectus are practically Identical and Homo erectus was responsible for pioneering the use of standard tools (such as the hand axe), big-game hunting, and the use of fire (Johanson and Shreeve1989).

You may know Homo erectus as "Java man" or "Peking man"( Johanson and Shreeve 1989). Erectus was low of brow, thick of bone, endowed with a brain larger than that of its …show more content…

Other than this remarkable jump, the physical features stayed relatively constant over those 1.4 million years(Washburn, McCown 1972). Some anthropologists say that their supra-orbital ridges were slightly more pronounced than previously, cranial bones were heavier and there was still no protruding chin but their molars had decreased in size (Washburn, McCown 1972).

Foreheads began to develop in the later members of the species, most likely as a result of an expanding frontal lobe (that part of the brain that we believe controls many of our higher functions such as reasoning, foresight and concentration) (Johanson and Shreeve 1989). Homo erectus had a lighter jaw than did Homo Habilis (Johanson and Shreeve 1989).

The following characteristics are generally accepted:

Skull low, broad and elongated Cranial capacity 750-1250 cc Median sagittal ridge Supraorbital ridge Postorbital constriction Receding frontal contour Occipital bun or torus Nuchal area extended for muscle attachment Cranial wall unusually thick Brain case narrower than zygomatic arch Heavy facial architecture Large jaw, wide ramus No chin (mentum) Teeth generally large Post-cranial bones heavy and thick Alveolar (maxilla) prognathism (Johanson and Shreeve 1992, 82 -83)

At least 222 fossils of Homo erectus have been found to date throughout Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe that support these statistics

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