H. erectus

H. sapiens, present

Middle Pleistocene

Archaic H. sapiens

780-125 kya

Atapuerca 5 Modern

Homo sapiens

3 3

2

2

1 1

44

5 5Archaic H. sapiens

Middle Pleistocene and living humans compared

Archaic H. sapiens Modern H. sapiens

1. Cranium long and low 1. Cranium globular

2. Strong brow ridges

divided at center

2. Reduced or absent

brow ridges

3. Angled rear vault 3. Rounded rear vault

4. Facial projection 4. Reduced face

5. No chin 5. Pronounced chin

Modern

H. sapiens Kabwe 1

Archaic H. sapiens

Middle Pleistocene and

living humans compared

The geographical range of Middle Pleistocene Archaic

Homo extended across Africa, Europe, and Asia

Bodo (Ethiopia)

600 kya

Africa

Extant Human Cranial Capacity (cm3)

Mean Range s.d.

Males 1427 1100-1651 81.6

Females 1272 1070-1427 82.9

Combined 1349 1085-1581 77.5

__________________________________

122 Global Samples from Beal’s et al. (1984).

Combined range values differ due to combined sample composition

differences. All values uncorrected for body size differences.

Mauricio Antón

Bodo

1300 cc

Acheulian lithic

industry

-hand axes

-bifacial

-targeted design

-mental template

- end result of flake removal

Cleaver

Hand axe

Levallois Technique

- multi-step process

- perimeter flaking

- striking platform at one end

- controls flake size and shape

1280 cc

Kabwe (Broken Hill)

Zambia

400? Kya1280 cc

Africa

AfricaKabwe

(Broken Hill)

ZambiaNote: large

cavities (caries)

severe anterior

tooth wear

Left molars buccal view Right molars buccal view

John

Gurche

(2010)

Kabwe (Broken Hill) Zambia

Kabwe (Broken Hill) Zambia

Alternative restoration

Europe in the

Middle Pleistocene

at the time of

H. heidelbergensis

Northern

latitudes

were ice-

covered during

glacial phases

Glacial-interglacial cycles

100 200 300 400 500

kya

war

mer

Present

H. heidelbergensis sites including Atapuerca

Atapuerca

Sima de los

Huesos

Atapuerca,

Spain

Over 6,700

hominin

skeletal

elements

430,00

years ago

Atapuerca 5

Spain

Europe1125 cc

Atapuerca 5

Spain

Europe1125 cc

Sima 5 craniofacial pathology / trauma

Sima de los Huesos

(Atapuerca, Spain)

(430 kya)

Artist’s conjectural depiction of the hominins

found in the Sima de los Huesos

H. heidelbergensis sites including Schöningen, Germany

Schöningen

Fire hardening wooden spear tips

Thieme excavating wooden

spears at Schöningen (400 kya)

Ho

lo-

cene

La

te

Ple

isto

ce

ne

Mid

dle

Ple

isto

ce

ne

13,000

125,000

200,000

400,000

cold warm

Composite stratigraphic

sequence though the

Schöningen site.

The wooden spears and

other implements come from

a level originally thought to

be 400 kya.

Recent

Thermoluminescence (TL)

dating published in 2015,

revises the date to 337-300

kya (MIS 9) which was a

warm period.

Flint artifacts from Schöningen: convex side scrapers

with retouch around the edges.

Schöningen, Germany, 337-300 kya years ago

Excavation of a throwing stick at Schöningen in 1994. Metric

analysis indicates similarity to contemporary javelins.

Throwing Stick

Bone fragmentFlint

Scraper

Excavation of a wooden spear, 2.5 meters long, at Schöningen in 1995.

The spear is made from spruce selected for it’s dense concentration of

growth rings. These spears were used to hunt horses.

Homo heidelbergensis hunting at

Schöningen: thrusting weapon,

or thrown weapon?

H. heidelbergensis sites including Petralona

Petralona

Discovery of

H. heidelbergensis

skeleton at Petralona,

Greece in 1960

Though an

entire skeleton

was originally

reported, only

the skull

remains today

Petralona

Greece

Europe1230 cc

Middle

Pleistocene

Jinniushan

Maba

Dali

H. heidelbergensis? from China

~ 230-180 kya

1200 cc Asia

Dali,

China

1200 cc Asia

Dali, China

Jinniushan, China

(ca. 260 kya)

Asia1260 cc

Rightmire’s

phylogeny

showing the

central position

of Homo

heidelbergensis

as both the

ancestor of

modern H.

sapiens and the

ancestor of H.

neanderthalensis.

H. erectus

H. heidelberg-

ensis

H. sapiensH. neander-

thalensis

H. ergaster?

S

S

S

S

S speciation event

Gran Dolina, Atapuerca, Spain 850-780 kya

H. antecessor ?

Alternative phylogeny

with H. antecessor as

ancestral group

Gran Dolina