Modern Homo Sapiens Emergence

A species of early Homo sapiens found in Ethiopia, dating back to between 105,000 and 70,000 years ago.

A site in South Africa where Homo sapiens remains have been found, dating back to between 120,000 and 90,000 years ago.

A site in Ethiopia where cranial remains of Homo sapiens have been found, dating back to between 105,000 and 70,000 years ago.

A cave in South Africa where Homo sapiens remains dating back to between 80,000 and 50,000 years ago have been found.

Two sites in Israel where Homo sapiens remains have been found dating back to between 120,000 and 90,000 years ago.

A site in Saudi Arabia where a finger bone associated with stone tools was found, dating back to between 130,000 and 90,000 years ago.

A site in China where Homo sapiens remains have been found, dating back to between 120,000 and 80,000 years ago.

A site in China where Homo sapiens remains have been found, dating back to between 120,000 and 80,000 years ago.

The hypothesis that anatomically modern humans evolved in Africa and then spread to other parts of the world, replacing existing archaic populations like Neanderthals.

This hypothesis states that modern humans evolved simultaneously in different parts of the world with limited gene flow between them.

The single-origin hypothesis but with the addition that there was some interbreeding between archaic and modern humans.

The idea that modern human traits should appear first in Africa, the region of origin, and then later in other regions as modern populations spread.

The idea that modern humans should have relatively little genetic diversity compared to other ancient populations because they are a younger species.

A site in Greece where two human skulls have been found, dated to over 210,000 years ago, predating the spread of Homo sapiens into Asia.

A site in Romania with evidence of early modern humans, including the Oase 1 mandible (jawbone) and Oase 2 cranium (skull), dated to 42,000 - 37,000 years ago.

A site in Australia, with evidence of human activity dating back 56,000 years, including tools and rock art, but no human bones have been found.

A site in Australia containing cremated skeletons and flake tools dating back about 40,000 years and 50,000 years respectively.

A site in China where modern-looking teeth have been found, dating back to 67,000 years ago. This date is controversial.

A site in Siberia where the remains of a double infant burial have been found, dated to 28,000 years ago.

A site in Sri Lanka with evidence of modern humans dating back to 38,000 years ago, with the remains of 36 individuals.

A rock shelter in France where the remains of an individual nicknamed "Old Man" have been found, dated back to 28,000 years ago.

A hypothesis suggesting that anatomically modern humans evolved in Africa and then migrated to other parts of the world, replacing populations that were already living there.

The study of DNA, particularly mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) passed down maternally, supports the Assimilation Theory as it shows gene flow between populations.

The gradual transformation of early pre-modern human populations to modern humans, with interbreeding playing a significant role.

Neanderthals and other pre-modern human groups lived in a peaceful, noncompetitive relationship with modern humans, coexisting and interbreeding.

Stone tools were used by modern humans, but were not unique to them - they were also used by some Neandertals. This overlap suggests interactions and cultural exchanges.

The extinction of Neanderthals is likely due to multiple factors including competition for resources with modern humans and possibly interbreeding, with a possible lack of transitional hybrid fossils.

Modern humans first appeared in Africa around 200,000 years ago and differed from earlier hominins in their larger brains and more complex social structure.

The most fundamental difference between the two hypotheses lies in the source of modern human diversity. The Single-Origin model proposes a recent African origin with a subsequent spread across the globe, implying that current diversity arose largely after the initial migration out of Africa. Conversely, the Multiregional model suggests parallel evolution in different parts of the world with gene flow between populations, leading to the current diversity.

The Single-Origin Hypothesis predicts that modern humans should be genetically more similar to each other than to archaic humans like Neanderthals because they share a recent common ancestor. It also predicts that modern human populations outside of Africa should be more genetically similar to African populations than to each other.

The Multiregional Hypothesis predicts that modern human populations from different regions of the world should be genetically distinct from each other because they have evolved in parallel over long periods. It also predicts that modern humans and archaic humans, like Neanderthals, should share significant genetic similarities due to interbreeding.

Genetic evidence largely supports the Single-Origin Hypothesis. Studies of human DNA show that all modern humans share a recent common ancestor and that populations outside of Africa are genetically derived from African populations.

Fossil evidence tends to support a mixed picture, offering evidence for both the Single-Origin and Multiregional Hypotheses. While the earliest fossils of anatomically modern humans are found in Africa, fossil evidence suggests that there was a degree of interbreeding between modern humans and archaic humans in different parts of the world.

The Upper Palaeolithic era, spanning from around 40,000 to 10,000 years ago, is significant for the development of advanced toolmaking, complex social structures, and the emergence of art and symbolic language.

European cave art, found in deep caves, is believed to have been used in ceremonies and rituals. It is a key source of understanding prehistoric beliefs and practices.

The "Venus" figurines, often found throughout Europe, are small, stylized representations of women, typically emphasizing breasts, hips, and belly. Their exact meaning is a matter of ongoing debate.

The emergence of modern human language is a complex process, but its development is thought to be linked to the Upper Palaeolithic period. The development of symbolic art and the use of language are often seen as interconnected.

The Acheulean tradition, characterized by the use of hand axes, is a testament to the sophisticated toolmaking abilities of early humans. Some scholars believe the development of this tradition required a form of language.

The FOXP2 gene, found both in modern humans and Neanderthals, is associated with language development. This suggests that Neanderthals may have possessed language capabilities.

Richard Wrangham proposes that the emergence of modern language led to what he calls "self-domestication" in early humans. This involved changes in physical appearance and social behavior, with more sociable individuals having an evolutionary advantage.

Microliths are small, sharp stone tools that were often used as part of composite tools during the Upper Palaeolithic. They demonstrate the advanced toolmaking abilities of this era.