There is a big gap in the fossil record; not much of
anything between 8 to 4 million years ago, even up to 10 million ya. Then
Hominids about 4-1 million ya?, earliest from Laetoli, most from Hadar in
Ethiopia. That is where Lucy was found in 1974. She is over 3 my old (4-3 mya)
Then Mary Leakey finds a 3.6 myo footprint in Laetoli at site G on Aug 2, 1978.
Maybe walking on legs 8-6 million ya, australopithecines branched from earlier
branch from apes.
Tools 2.5 mya: Hadar and Omo Valley.
Australopithecus africanus (gracile) found Taung, South
Africa 1924 by Dart, 2.5-1 million ya. Also found in East Africa, Olduvai Gorge.
Australopithecus Robustus, much larger, South Africa 2
caves: Swartkuans and Kromdraai. East Africa: Olduvai and Lake Turkana. Mary
Leakey finds in 1959, they are also 2.5-1 mya. SA: gracile preferred wooded and
robustus perfered grassy
Australopithicus die out 1.5-1 mya, EA major change in
climate.
Homo Habilis: Richard’s brother Jonathan finds a jaw
lived 2 mya – our ancestor, toolmaker. 2 myo skull found (1470) 1972 Lake
Turkana
By 1.5 mya - Homo
Erectus. By 1900 HE found in Java and China. 1960 EA: R. Leakey’s dad finds
something in Oluvai Gorge showing HE there 1 mya. 1975 HE skull found by Bernard
Ngeneo 1.5 myo.
(also a note from somewhere that homo erectus and ergaster
around 1.9 mya and that homo habilis fades 1.8 mya)
HE – 1.5 mya? – 200,000 ya
HSN – 200,000 ya – 50,000
HSS – 50,000 ya – present
19,000,000 Dryopithecus in Africa. (Proconsul)
15,000,000 Dryopithecus in Africa and Europe
13,000,000 Ramapithecus in East Africa
10,000,000 Dryopithecus and Ramapithecus in Pakistan, India and Europe
BLACK HOLE
6 mya Lukeino: Homindid molar
5.5 mya Lithagam:part of a Hominid jaw (Hominid is the family.
Australopithecene and Homo are genuses)
4 mya Hominid armbone found at Kanapoi
3 mya A. Afrarensis in Hadar and Laetoli
3-2 mya BLACK HOLE – no homo, australopithicus evidence is weak