Homo erectus was a successful member of the Homo genus, living between 1.8 million and 500,000 years ago. They were the first hominid to use fire and travel to Southeast Asia. Although similar to modern humans, they lacked complex speech and had a smaller brain. They paved the way for hunting and the Acheulian tool industry. Some believe Homo sapiens is a direct descendant, while others consider other species more advanced.
Homo erectus is an extinct member of the Homo genus of which humans, Homo sapiens, are the only surviving member. The genus Homo is the fourth of the great apes, with the other members being chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans, all part of the homonidae family. Sometimes the word “human” is used interchangeably with the genus Homo, although Homo erectus was certainly not a modern human. The species is named Erectus for its upright posture and human-like gait. Members of this species lived between 1.8 million and about 500,000 years ago (but possibly as late as 30,000 years ago), emerging in Africa and migrating as far south as Southeast Asia.
Although Homo erectus is the longest-lived and most successful member of the genus – aside from modern humans – it had a skull and brain only about 75 percent the size of ours. Otherwise, this species would appear remarkably similar to a modern human, much more so than its chimpanzee-like predecessor, Homo habilis. However, he lacked the ability for complex speech, as demonstrated by the analysis of the Turkana boy specimen found in Kenya in 1984.
Homo erectus was the first homonid to reach many milestones: he was the first outside Africa and the first to use fire in a controlled, though not routine, way, probably as late as 1.5 million years ago, even if the earliest incontrovertible date is 300,000 BC. Members of this species were also early seafarers, traveling to the islands of Southeast Asia. They had a similar height to modern humans and extended childhoods.
Hunting was initially made systematic by members of this species, and they paved the way for the second major tool industry, symbolized by the Acheulian axes, which are made by slicing into both faces of the object. These tools were useful for scraping the fat off carcasses. This species also made the first known kills of mammoths.
Most scholars believe that Homo sapiens is a direct descendant of Homo erectus, and others aren’t so sure. Species considered more advanced than it include Homo antecessor, H. heidelbergensis and H. neanderthalensis.
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