The early men

The early menTHE APPEARANCE OF EARLY HUMANSScientists believe that Homo sapiens, that is human beings, came into existence about 100,000 years ago. so many ancient skeletons suggest that other beings, similar to humans, lived nearly 4 million years before that time.Human and pre-humans are called hominids, two legged primatesAnthropologists called the early pre-humans as Australopithecines southern apesAustralopithecines, very early human ancestors, spent some of their time in trees. Australopithecines had long, curved fingers that helped them grasp branches for climbing. In this artists rendering, members of a group of the species Australopithecus africanus forage for fruits and leaves in the treetops, where they are safe from such potential predators as lions. Although australopithecines were good tree-climbers, they also walked fully upright and spent much time on the ground.

LUCYThe oldest known skeleton was that of a female. She was probably 3.5 feet tall and may have lived about 4 million years ago. She is one of the most complete skeletons of an early ancestor of humans ever found. She walked upright. 20 years old when she died.

Australopithecus afarensis

Homo habilis man of skillLived during the first quarter of the Paleolithic period. Their larger brains indicate that they were more physically and mentally advanced.

Homo erectus person who walks uprightThey were food gatherers women gathered fruits, nuts, and seeds while men looked for meat. By about 50,000 years ago, the males had become hunters, using spears to kills deer, pigs and rabbits. They learned how to make fire keep warm, cook food, and scare away wild animals, and enabled them to live in caves.They also made clothing.Developed speech.

Homo sapiens person who thinksThey were probably Neanderthals, Neander Valley in Germany, where their remains were first discovered. They stood about 5.5 feet tall. Their brains were slightly larger than those of modern human beings, & they had thick bones.Neanderthals were nomadic hunter-gatherers who used fire for warmth and for cooking their food, but their tool making ability was more sophisticated than those of Homo erectus. They crafted stone, knives, spears, and bone tools.They were advanced culturally.

Cro-MagnonsThey were anatomically modern people. They were the first people to inhabit in Europe, living there at time when glaciers covered much of the continent and the climate was often bitterly cold.They had high forehead, small brow ridges, and a well defined chin. Hunters and gatherers who lived off the bounty of nature.