Homo Erectus

Homo erectus means “man upright” — literally, a species of human suspected of being the first to have walked upright. H. erectus left the African continent about 1.8 Mya. Since that time they are believed to have lived predominantly in Asia and Southeast Asia from that time, until around 40,000 years ago. (40 ka) [1]

They are believed to have had a vegetarian diet. [1] Smaller brains that later homo sapiens. Use simple tools, like those found among their African cousins at the time.

Characteristics

• Female homo erectus — 52 kg (115 lb) and 1.5 m (4′) [1]
• Male homo erectus — 58 kg (128lb) and 1.7 m (5’7″) [1]

Discoveries

The earliest fossils of Homo erectus discovered outside of Africa, are of Asian H. erectus (h. erectus strico). These were found in the Caucasus Mountains (Dmanisi, Republic of Georgia). [1] They date to around 1.8 Mya. [1]

The Dmanisi fossils are named Homo erectus georgicus. [1] Along with their remains are those of another species of Early Human, homo ergaster. Indicating that several species of human were living in the Caucasus at that time. [1]