Austrolopithecus Afarensis: Lucy and her relatives

• Scientists use Latin names to group living things

• Lucy was given the name Australopithecus which means “southern ape” and afarensis refers to the Afar triangle, the part of Africa where Lucy was found

• Lucy was shorter than humans today- between 3 to 4 feet tall– Discovered by Donald Johanson– mix of ape and human features– had a large head- brain only 1/3 the size of

ours– Lived 3 to 4 million years ago– Biped, the capability to walk on two feet

Homo Habilis: Handy Man

• Discovered by Louis and Mary Leakey• Lived 1.5-2 million years ago• Combined ape and human features• Walked on two feet• Taller than Lucy • Brains were twice the size of Lucys• Remains only found in Africa• Lived in groups• Tools were found

– Animal bones as digging sticks and rocks as chopping tools

– Sharp pieces of stone for cutting

Homo Erectus: Upright Man• Discovered in 1891 by Eugene Dubois on the island of

Java, off the southern coast of Asia• At this time, Lucy and Handy Man had not yet been

discovered• Lived on Earth longer than any other hominid group

from 1.8 million to 200,000 BCE• Believed to be the first hominids to migrate out of

Africa because remains have been found in both Africa and Asia

• Taller and thinner than earlier hominids– Strong bones, good walkers and runners– Forehead was round and smooth but still had a large ridge

above the eyes, a thicker skull, and a jaw that stuck out– More complex tools

• Strong hand axes made of stone

– Used fire– Ate more meat– Built oval huts – Sat and slept on animal skins– Decorated their bodies with yellow-colored mud called

ocher– Moved from place to place

Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis: Neanderthal Man

• Discovered “Wise Man” in 1856 in Germany’s Neander Valley

• Modern humans belong to this group

• Lived from 230,000 to 30,000 years ago in Africa, Europe, and Asia

• Walked upright, shorter and stockier than modern humans but much stronger

• Large brains– More than 60 types of tools have

been found• Worked together

– Lived and traveled in groups– Hunted in an organized group– Sense of community

Homo Sapiens Sapiens: Doubly Wise Man

• First appeared 150,000 years ago• Originated in Africa• High, rounded skulls, large brains,

small teeth, and slender bones• Ability to create better tools, shelter,

and clothing• Left paintings on the walls of caves• Carved and shaped images out of

clay, bone, flint, and ivory• Created music instruments• Painted animals, mythical creatures

and used their handprints to sign their work