ABOUT 2.5 MILLION YEARS AGO
Appearance of homo habilis:
A new species of hominid develops in Africa, it is the homo habilis (the clever man ). He is so called because he is able to make and use tools. The first Homo habilis skeletons were discovered in 1959 in Olduvai Gorge.
- It measures between 1.20 and 1.50 meters, and weighs between 30 and 40 kg.
- It has a bigger brain than Australopithecus .
- He has more powerful but less precise hands than ours.
- It is undoubtedly bipedal like Australopithecus .
- He is skilful and cuts pebbles of flint, sandstone or quartz. He uses a harder stone that he hits very hard vertically against the flat surface of the pebble to make it sharp.
- He does not hunt, but eats the meat of dead animals he finds and butchers with the cutting stones he makes. It is mainly omnivorous, but also eats plants and fruits.
- He does not control or use fire at all.
- He built the first types of rudimentary camps as habitat.
- It lives in small groups and begins to organize itself socially.
- It explores new regions thanks to the flesh diet (meat) because it is no longer forced to stay near plants and fruits. Meat gives him more energy and helps increase his brain volume.
- It lives for 1.8 million years alongside Australopithecus who does not know how to make tools.
- It also cohabits with homo rudolfensis which has similar anatomical characteristics but not quite identical to its own.
Between the appearance of australopithecines (about 5 million years ago) and homo habilis (About 2.5 million years ago), 2.5 million years have passed.
Useful link:
Article on Homo Habilis on futura sciences