ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF MAN

The stages of evolution of man are-1.Dryopithecus and Ramapithecus-

About 15 mya, primates called Dryopithecus and Ramapithecus were existing.

They were hairy and walked like gorillas and chimpanzees.

Ramapithecus was more man-like while Dryopithecus was more ape-like.

Few fossils of man-like bones have been discovered in Ethiopia and Tanzania.

These revealed hominid features leading to the belief that about 3-4 mya, man-like primates walked in eastern Africa.

2.Australopithecus-

About two mya, Australopithecines probably lived in East African grasslands.

They hunted with stone weapons but essentially ate fruit.

Some of the bones among the bones discovered were different.

They were intermediate between apes and man.

3.Homo habilis-

The brain capacities were between 650-800cc.

They probably did not eat meat.

They were the makers of stone tools.

4.Homo erectus-

About 1.5 mya, Homo erectus arose.

Homo erectus had a large brain around 900cc.

Homo erectus probably ate meat.

5.Neanderthal man-

The Neanderthal man with a brain size of 1400cc lived in near east and central Asia between 1, 00,000-40,000 years back.

They used hides to protect their body and buried their dead.

6.Homo sapiens or modern man-

Arose in Africa and moved across continents.

During ice age between 75,000-10,000 years ago modern Homo sapiens arose.

Pre-historic cave art developed about 18,000 years ago.

Agriculture came around 10,000 years back and human settlements started.