The extinct ancient humans, Homo erectus, are the first species to exhibit a human-like body structure, with short arms and long legs compared to its torso. Additionally, it was the first hominid to migrate outside of Africa and likely the first one to cook food. Aside from Homo sapiens, H. erectus was the most widely distributed species. While scientists debate the relationship between H. erectus and H. sapiens, most think that H. erectus can be considered an ancestor of modern humans.

The Discovery of Homo erectus

Java Man (Homo erectus javanicus) was an extinct hominid whose fossil remains were discovered on the Indonesian island of Java. Eugène Dubois, a Dutch anatomist and geologist, discovered the first known fossils of Homo erectus in Trinil, Java, in the early 1890s. Until these fossils were found, Neanderthals were considered our closest human-like ancestors.

Dubois discovered an isolated tooth, the top portion of a skull, and a thigh bone. They have frequently been referred to together as “Java Man.” The thigh bone revealed that the creature stood upright, human-like, but the skullcap revealed that its brain was significantly smaller than modern humans and possessed a characteristic brow ridge. There were more H. erectus remnants found in Java and China by 1940.

The Java Man (Homo erectus javanicus)

Before being renamed Homo erectus javanicus, the species was first known as Anthropopithecus by Eugène Dubois (1890) as descended from an ancient huge gibbon monkey. His discoveries are believed to be a million years old.

Java Man evolved before Peking Man (Homo erectus pekinensis) and is typically thought to be more primitive. H. erectus has populated Java between approximately one million and 500,000 years ago.

Physical Behaviours of the Java Man

• Java Man (Homo erectus javanicus) had an average cranial capacity of 900 cubic centimetres.
• In addition to being roughly 5 ft, 8 in tall, Java Man’s thighbones demonstrate that he walked erect, just like today’s humans.
• A thicker femur than in a modern person indicates that he ran frequently.
• The skull had strong bones and a lowering forehead. The enormous teeth resulted in a large and protruding jaw, with lower lips overflowing the mandible’s lower edge, giving the appearance of no chin.
• The brow ridges were large and straight. In comparison to later H. erectus specimens, his cranium was significantly smaller. Although he had huge canines, he had a set of human teeth.

Discovery of Peking Man

The “Peking Man” skeletons were discovered inside quarries and caves in Zhoukoudian, about 30 miles south of Beijing. A two-million-year-old human-like tooth found in the collections of a German physician and searched for fossils in China captivated a Swedish geologist in the 1920s. He began his hunt for fossils in Beijing and was guided to Zhoukoudian.

Archaeologists from China and abroad started digging at Zhoukoudian. A human molar found accelerated the digging. A Chinese archaeologist holding to a rope discovered a full skullcap embedded in a rock wall in December 1929. Excavations continued into the 1930s, and additional bones, stone tools, and signs of fire use were discovered.

Peking Man (Homo erectus pekinensis)

Homo erectus pekinensis, formerly known as Sinanthropus pekinensis, is Homo erectus. The Peking Man is an example of this species. Discovered between 1923 and 1927 during excavations in Zhoukoudian near Beijing, China, this fossil species was dated to about 750,000 years ago in 2009. A subsequent 26Al/10Be dating indicates they are between 680,000 and 780,000 years old.

Many stone tools and 15 fragmentary crania were found in the lower cave of the Peking Man site in Zhoukoudian between 1929 and 1937. Their estimated age ranges from 500,000 to 300,000 years. It is estimated that the bones belonged to 40 male and female persons.

Physical Characteristics of Peking Man

• This Homo erectus (Sinanthropus pekinensis) was similar to modern humans, including a large brain and skull and bone sizes similar to modern humans. However, they possessed heavy brows as well as large, chinless jaws.
• Six complete or almost whole skulls, 14 cranium fragments, six facial parts, fifteen jawbones and one hundred and seven teeth were discovered in Zhoukoudian caves and a quarry along with three arms, one wrist, seven hip bones, and one shin bone.

Asia’s First Hominid Sites

• In reality, Sinanthropus pekinensis was a Homo erectus that looked a lot like modern humans.
• For the first time, the Peking Man (Homo erectus pekinensis) skeletons represent the greatest collection of hominid fossils ever found at one location.
• The Zhoukoudian cave system, located near Beijing, has been one of the most important Palaeolithic sites.
• Later on, palaeontologists classified these individuals of the human family as Homo erectus. They vanished in 1941 while being brought to America for safekeeping.
• A skull discovered in Yunxian, China, thought to be at about 600,000 years old, includes brow ridges comparable to Homo erectus specimens found in Java but facial traits more akin to younger European skulls.

Conclusion

Human evolution is a gradual process. The earliest upright human being was Homo erectus. Java Man (Homo erectus javanicus) was the first notable hominid discovery, starting the research of early man. Following Dubois’ discovery, further Homo erectus fossils were discovered in Java. Homo erectus is a close relative of our genus. He was also the first to start leaving Africa and learn the use of fire. He lived between 1.89 million and 143,000 years ago. H. erectus was known as Turkana Boy in Africa, Peking Man (Homo erectus pekinensis) in China, and Java Man (Homo erectus javanicus) in Indonesia. Prehistoric Java Man is generally regarded as more primitive than the modern Peking Man.