The "Boy of Gran Dolina" fossils ATD6-15 (frontal bone) ATD6-69 (maxilla) Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Primates
Suborder:
Haplorhini
Infraorder:
Simiiformes
Family:
Hominidae
Subfamily:
Homininae
Tribe:
Hominini
Genus:
Homo
Species:
†H. antecessor
Binomial name
†Homo antecessor
Bermúdez de Castro et al., 1997
Homo antecessor (Latin "pioneer man") is an extinct species of archaic human recorded in the Spanish Sierra de Atapuerca, a productive archaeological site, from 1.2 to 0.8 million years ago during the Early Pleistocene. Populations of this species may have been present elsewhere in Western Europe, and were among the first to colonise that region of the world, hence the name. The first fossils were found in the Gran Dolina cave in 1994, and the species was formally described in 1997 as the last common ancestor of modern humans and Neanderthals, supplanting the more conventional H. heidelbergensis in this position. H. antecessor has since been reinterpreted as an offshoot from the modern human line, although probably one branching off just before the modern human/Neanderthal split.
Despite being so ancient, the face is unexpectedly similar to that of modern humans rather than other archaic humans—namely in its overall flatness as well as the curving of the cheekbone as it merges into the upper jaw—although these elements are known only from a juvenile specimen. Brain volume could have been 1,000 cc (61 cu in) or more, but no intact braincase has been discovered. For comparison, present-day modern humans average 1,270cm3 for males and 1,130cm3 for females. Stature estimates range from 162.3–186.8 cm (5 ft 4 in – 6 ft 2 in). H. antecessor may have been broad-chested and rather heavy, much like Neanderthals, although the limbs were proportionally long, a trait more frequent in tropical populations. The kneecaps are thin and have poorly developed tendon attachments. The feet indicate H. antecessor walked differently compared to modern humans.
H. antecessor was predominantly manufacturing simple pebble and flake stone tools out of quartz and chert, although they used a variety of materials. This industry has some similarities with the more complex Acheulean, an industry which is characteristic of contemporary African and later European sites. Groups may have been dispatching hunting parties, which mainly targeted deer in their savannah and mixed woodland environment. Many of the H. antecessor specimens were cannibalised, perhaps as a cultural practice. There is no evidence they were using fire, and they similarly only inhabited inland Iberia during warm periods, presumably retreating to the coast otherwise.
Homoantecessor (Latin "pioneer man") is an extinct species of archaic human recorded in the Spanish Sierra de Atapuerca, a productive archaeological...
Altamura Man Ceprano Man Dmanisi hominins Early European modern humans HomoantecessorHomo rhodesiensis Swanscombe Heritage Park Tautavel Man Tunel Wielki e...
species such as Homo ergaster, Homo floresiensis, Homoantecessor, Homo heidelbergensis and indeed Homo sapiens is not entirely clear. The type fossil is...
separated Homo from tree-sleeping Australopithecines. These are proposed as species intermediate between H. erectus and H. heidelbergensis. H. antecessor is...
Europe is uncertain, but it gave rise to Homoantecessor, found in Spain. Homo heidelbergensis originated from Homo erectus in an unknown location and dispersed...
species such as Homo ergaster, Homo floresiensis, Homoantecessor, Homo heidelbergensis and indeed Homo sapiens is not entirely clear. The type fossil is...
Homo longi is an extinct species of archaic human identified from a nearly complete skull, nicknamed 'Dragon Man', from Harbin on the Northeast China Plain...
sapiens out of ancestral H. erectus (or an intermediate species such as Homoantecessor) is estimated to have occurred in Africa roughly 500,000 years ago...
Homo luzonensis, also locally called "Ubag" after a mythical caveman, is an extinct, possibly pygmy, species of archaic human from the Late Pleistocene...
Humans (Homo sapiens) or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus Homo. They are...
the major events in the evolutionary lineage of the modern human species, Homo sapiens, throughout the history of life, beginning some 4 billion years ago...
Homo ergaster is an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans who lived in Africa in the Early Pleistocene. Whether H. ergaster constitutes a species...
Age), with several species of hominids (Homoantecessor, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens) exploiting the same territory....
Homo rhodesiensis is the species name proposed by Arthur Smith Woodward (1921) to classify Kabwe 1 (the "Kabwe skull" or "Broken Hill skull", also "Rhodesian...
Homo naledi is an extinct species of archaic human discovered in 2013 in the Rising Star Cave system, Gauteng province, South Africa (See Cradle of Humankind)...
Homo floresiensis ( /flɔːrˈɛziːˌɛn.sɪs/ also known as "Flores Man") is an extinct species of small archaic human that inhabited the island of Flores, Indonesia...
million years ago. Denisovans may represent a new species of Homo or an archaic subspecies of Homo sapiens (modern humans), but there are too few fossils to...
paniscus Homo habilis Homo rudolfensis Homo ergaster Homo erectus HomoantecessorHomo heidelbergensis Homo naledi Homo neanderthalensis Homo denisova Homo sapiens...
Homo rudolfensis is an extinct species of archaic human from the Early Pleistocene of East Africa about 2 million years ago (mya). Because H. rudolfensis...
Homo habilis ("handy man") is an extinct species of archaic human from the Early Pleistocene of East and South Africa about 2.8 million years ago to 1...
initially considered Homo cepranensis, Homo erectus, or possibly Homoantecessor; but in recent studies, most regard it either as a form of Homo heidelbergensis...
specific incident was undertaken by the same species. Cannibalism by Homoantecessor has also been uncovered, and it has been suggested to possibly have...
first recognizable members of the genus Homo. Several human species, such as H. heidelbergensis and H. antecessor, appear to have evolved from H. erectus...
classified as Homo erectus georgicus. Later waves of expansion are proposed around 1.4 Ma (early Acheulean industries), associated with Homoantecessor and 0...
Mountains served as the preferred occupation site of Homo erectus, Homoantecessor, Homo heidelbergensis and Homo neanderthalensis communities. The earliest specimen...
skeletal remains of Homoantecessor from the Gran Dolina site (level TD6), and with the skeletal remains of the possible Homoantecessor or Homo erectus from...
extinct, close relatives of modern humans and, together with the extant genus Homo, comprise the human clade. Members of the human clade, i.e. the Hominini...
Age), with several species of hominids (Homoantecessor, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis y Homo sapiens) exploiting the same territory. According...
probably descended from A. anamensis and is hypothesised to have given rise to Homo, though the latter is debated. A. afarensis had a tall face, a delicate brow...
been attested for Homoantecessor (or Homo erectus antecessor, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens. Homo neanderthalensis emerged...
Global Information
