Homo Habilis

A detailed Summary of Homo Habilis


How do we describe early human behaviour? Certainly this is a debate that has been argued more than once. It seems that there has been some kind of a consensus between archaeologists and anthropologists that the earliest form of human behaviour was the making of tools. It is generally recognised that early Australopiths may have used rudimentary tools in much the way modern chimps do to coax termites from there nests, but these where simply fashioned sticks and twigs. (Feder, 1996 p.79)

Scientists were looking for a hominid that had the ability to create a permanent tool. Feder (1996) was certain that this required increased intelligence and a sophisticated process of forethought.(p.79) These tools where found in the form of stone tools made by the early hominid Homo habilis.

Homo habilis, "handy man" represented an important turning point in the evolution of humans. The species appeared about 2.5million years ago. It is likely that it evolved from Austalopithecus afarensis or africanus and the main thing that differentiated it from early hominids was the brain size. This had increased by over 20 percent from earlier hominids but was still only about one third the size of modern man. This was revealed through sku


Homo habilis' adaptation to life in prehistoric Africa enabled it to survive as a species for half a million years or more, and at least one group evolved to a taller, stronger, smarter species of human.

Olduvai Gorge is one of the most significant finds of fossilized remains and artifacts of Homo habilis. The area contains geological strata, accumulated by lava flows and volcanic activity, which are neatly stratified and can be accurately dated by correlation with known existing sediments.

Mohammed (2002) suggests that the production of tools enabled Homo habilis to survive in a changing African environment. While the wooded areas were drying out and giving way to grassland savannah they were able to change their diet to include meat that was obtained mainly by scavenging. The use of stone tools in removing the meaty limbs from carcasses killed by carnivores was paramount to their survival. (Lambert, 1987)



Some common words found in the essay are:
Essentially Oldowan, , Olduvai Gorge, Northern Tanzania, Mary Leakey, homo habilis, feder 1996, mohammed 2002, tools found, earlier hominids, stone tools, brain size, increased brain, create tools, fossilized remains,

Approximate Word count = 853
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History

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