Human Origins in Africa

Chapter 1.1

I will be able to:

Describe key scientific
findings about human
origins
Describe the
emergence of modern
humans

Archeologists at
Work
Records cover
only the last 5,000
years or so of
human life on
earth.
Archaeologists
use special skills
and tools to piece
together things

Artifacts vs
Fossils

Artifacts: Tools, jewelry, or other

objects modified by human hands.

Fossils:
Bones
preserved in
stone

Out of Africa
Evidence shows that the first
hominids originated in Africa
more than 3 million years ago.
Mary Leakey found the
footprints of humanlike
beings in the region of Laetoli

Lucy
In 1974, Donald
Johanson discovered the
nearly-complete
skeleton of
Australopithecus
Afarensis, which he
nicknamed "Lucy"
Lucy walked upright, had
an opposable thumb and
was dated back to 3.5

The Amazing Opposable

Thumb!
Early hominids walked upright
Could travel long distances
Used free arms to carry food, tools,
and children.
Could move thumbs across the palms
of their hands and touch other fingers.

Homo habilis
The name means
man of skill.
First to make stone
tools
Lived about 2.5
million years ago.

Homo erectus,
About 1.6 million
years ago
More intelligent,
sophisticated tools
First to use of fire
Migrated out of
Africa

Control over their

Environment
The invention of tools
Mastery over fire
Development of language

Homo Sapiens
Homo sapien (wise man) is
the name given to modern
humans.
Had the same physical build
as homo erectus except for a
larger brain.

Neanderthal Man
The first modern
humans, bigger
and more powerful
Resourceful
hunters
Had religious
beliefs (ritual
burials)
Vanished about
20,000 years ago

Cro-Magnons
Emerge

Competed with
Neanderthals for land
and food
Had more skill at
speaking; could plan
large scale hunts
reason for survival?
Developed art

The Fossil Record

Scientists have only a vague picture of
the origin of humans.
More discoveries may lead to new ideas
about early humans.
What is clear is that humans had skills
that helped them adapt to and survive
in different lands and climates.

A Beginning

In the beginning God

created the heavens and
the earth.
Genesis 1:1

A Beginning

The Bible does not address the issue of

evolution. Rather its view assumes that
God created it.
The most important aspect of this
debate is not the process of creation,
but the origin of creation.

A Beginning

Christianity sees a universe with a

beginning.
It sees the universe as telling us
about God by means of its
craftsmanship.

Origin of Man Biblical

Data
Genesis 1:27
So God created (bara) man
in his own image, in the
image of God he created
(bara) him: male and
female he created (bara)
them.

Origin of Man Biblical Data

Dating human origins:

Adequate, but incomplete
genealogies
~10,000 - 50,000 years ago
The Bible does not give exact dates
for the origin of modern humans.
However, we can get an idea about
the approximate date through the
meanings of the original Hebrew