The Evolution of The Human Being

55 million years ago

1 CE

First primitive primates evolve

8 – 6 million years ago

2

First gorillas evolve. Later, chimp and human lineages diverge

5.8 million years ago

3

Orrorin tugenensis, oldest human ancestor thought to have walked on two legs

5.5 million years ago

4

Ardipithecus, early “proto-human” shares traits with chimps and gorillas, and is forest-dwelling

4 million years ago

5

Australopithecines appear. They have brains no larger than a chimpanzee’s – with a volume around 400 – 500 cm3 -, but walk upright on two legs. First human ancestors to live on the savannah

3.2 million years ago

7

Lucy, famous specimen of Australopithecus afarensis, lives near what is now Hadar, Ethiopia

2.7 million years ago

8

Paranthropus, lives in woods and grasslands, has massive jaws for chewing on roots and vegetation. Becomes extinct 1.2 MYA

2.5 million years ago

9

Homo habilis appears. Its face protrudes less than earlier hominids, but still retains many ape features. Has a brain volume of around 600 cm3. Hominids start to use stone tools regularly, created by splitting pebbles – this starts Oldowan tradition of toolmaking, which last a million years. Some hominids develop meat-rich diets as scavengers, the extra energy may have favoured the evolution of larger brains

2 million years ago

10

Evidence of Homo ergaster, with a brain volume of up to 850 cm3, in Africa

1.8-1.5 million years ago

11

Homo erectus is found in Asia. First true hunter-gatherer ancestor, and also first to have migrated out of Africa in large numbers. It attains a brain size of around 1000 cm3

1.6 million years ago

12

Possible first sporadic use of fire suggested by discoloured sediments in Koobi Fora, Kenya. More convincing evidence of charred wood and stone tools is found in Israel and dated to 780,000 years ago More complex Acheulean stone tools start to be produced and are the dominant technology until 100,000 years ago 600,000 YA

600,000 years ago

13

Homo Heidelbergensis lives in Africa and Europe. Similar brain capacity to modern human

500,000 years ago

14

Earliest evidence of purpose-built shelters – wooden huts – are known from sites near Chichibu, Japan

400,000 years ago

15

Early humans begin to hunt with spears

325,000 years ago

16

Oldest surviving early human footprints are left by three people who scrambled down the slopes of a volcano in Italy

280,000 years ago

17

First complex stone blades and grinding stones

230,000 yeras ago

18

Neanderthals appear and are found across Europe, from Britain in the west to Iran in the east, until they become extinct with the advent of modern humans 28,000 years ago

195,000 years ago

19

Our own species Homo sapiens appears on the scene – and shortly after begins to migrate across Asia and Europe. Oldest modern human remains are two skulls found in Ethiopia that date to this period. Average human brain volume is 1350 cm3

170,000 years ago

20

Mitochondrial Eve, the direct ancestor to all living people today, may have been living in Africa

150,000 years ago

21

Humans possibly capable of speech. 100,000-year-old shell jewellery suggests that that people develop complex speech and symbolism

140,000 tears ago

22

First evidence of long-distance trade

110,000 years ago

23

Earliest beads – made from ostrich eggshells – and jewellery

50,000 years ago

24

“Great leap forward”: human culture starts to change much more rapidly than before; people begin burying their dead ritually; create clothes from animal hides; and develop complex hunting techniques, such as pit-traps.