Sites:
East Africa: Broken Hill (Kabwe), Zambia; Laetoli, Tanzania; South Africa: Florisbad, South Africa; Elandsfontein, South Africa; Europe: Gran Dolina, Spain; Steinheim, Germany; Petralona, Greece; Swanscombe, England; Arago, France; Atapuerca (Sima de los Huesos), Spain; Asia: Jinniushan, China; Dali, China; Age: 850 000 to 125 000 years ago (Middle Pleistocene) Type specimen: Specimens: Kabwe, Bodo, Steinheim, Dali and Jinniushan crania Cranial capacity: ± 1200 cm3 Cranial architecture: Features that indicate H. heidelbergensis is a separate species:
Dentition: Reduced size. Postcranial: Very compact - robust, barrel-chested, very muscled, short limbs. Environment: Length and weight: Avg. male height ± 175cm and weight 62kg; average female height ± 157cm and weight 51kg; Tools: Acheulian tools or stone flake tools created using the Levallois technique for controlling flake size and shape. May have controlled fire. Ancestor: H. erectus Descendants: H. sapiens. General: Possible ancestor to modern H. sapiens in Africa. In Europe, H. heidelbergensis most likely evolved into Neandertals. The Chinese premodern populations likely became extinct. |