History of Human Origin

Origin – the latin word origenim, meaning “rise, beginning, or source”.

There are three main theories of Human Origin. These are:

 Mythical Theory
 Creation Theory
 Evolution Theory
1. Mythical Theory: Among different traditional communities, different stories of origin are being
told to the young explaining how members of their community are thought to have come into
being.
2. Creation Theory: Christians believe that God created the first human beings whom he named
Adam and Eve. The two got children from whom all the people of the world descended. This is
called “The Theory of Creation”.
3. Evolution Theory: Scientists have put forward theories to explain how human beings came into
being. They believe that people developed through the process of evolution. Evolution is the
process of development. It involves slow change from one stage to another.

Charles Darwin

- A British scientist , English naturalist, geologist and biologist.

- Developed the “Theory of Evolution “.

According to Darwin, all things developed over million of years from a simple state to their present
developed state.

Human beings can learn about evolution by studying the remains of ancient plants and animals that are
trapped between layers of rocks and are sometimes exposed by erosion.

Archaeologists

- Collect remains of tools or other items that may help to explain how ancient people
lived.
- Study rock and cave drawings and paintings made by the ancient people.

From these, they tell for example, if people were hunters, gatherers, or cultivators.

Stages of Human Evolution

 Dryopithecus • Australopithecus • Homo Erectus

 Ramapithecus • Homo Habilis • Homo Sapiens
Dryopithecus

- Was more ape-like.

- Legs are smaller than arm and less erect posture.
- They were hairy and walked like gorillas and
chimpanzees.
- Less developed brain.
- Ate soft plant parts such as fruits and leaves.
- The genus Dryopithecus or the oak wood apes are
considered the common ancestors of man and apes.
- They live in China, Europe, Africa, and India.

Ramapithecus

- Was more man-like.

- Legs are longer than arms and erect posture.
- Jaws and teeth are like humans.
- Highly developed brain.
- Arise from Dryopithecus.
- The first remains of Ramapithecus were discovered
in the Shivalik range of Punjab. Later some remains
were found in Africa and South Arabia also.

Two pieces of evidence confirm their Hominid status:

 Thickened tooth enemel, shorter canines, and robust jaws.

 Extrapolations of upright posture and usage of hands for
food and defense.

Australopithecus

- The fossil was first discovered in South Africa in 1924.

- Combination of human-like and ape-like traits.
- They were approximately 4 feet tall and weighed 60-
80 pounds.
 - They had heavy hair growth like apes and bipedal locomotion
Like man .
- They had small brains.
- They started living on the ground, using stone tools as weapons
and erecting their body posture while walking.

Homo Habilis

- Signifies “handyman” in Latin, representing them

as the first makers of tools.
- Larger braincases and smaller faces as compared
to Australopithecus.
- Bipedal
- Height: 5 feet.
- Lightly built lover jaw.
- Teeth similar to man.
- They were live on grassy lands.

Homo Erectus

- Existed 500,000 years ago.

- The first fossil of this genus was found in Java
in 1891.
- Human-like body proportions.
- 6 feet tall.
- Large canines.
- Skull: long and low.
- Fire was invented by them and the first one to
cook food.
- Carnivores
- Believed to have lived in communities.
- Used tools ( quartz, bones, and wood).

Homo Sapiens

- All modern humans belong.

- More developed and resembled human beings.
- They lived in caves.
- They buried the dead and could paint.
- They learn to shape stones and bones into excellent
tools.
- They had religious and customs.
- Round-shaped skull.
- Omnivores
- Gain the power of thinking.