Homo Ergaster

Homo ergaster - ancestor of man?

The Homo ergaster is an extinct species of the genus Homo. The word 'ergaster' comes from the Latin and can be translated as 'worker' so that homo ergaster means 'working man'. This name was chosen because of the complexly worked hand axes, which were discovered during excavations as an accompanying finding and assigned to H. ergaster.

Processed Hand-ax The image on the left shows a hand-ax, which has a much more time-consuming and complex processing state compared to the found stone tools of Homo habilis. The exact use can only be speculated retroactively. It is conceivable to use as a knife to separate meat from animal carcasses or to get to the high-fat bone marrow, as a grave and cutting tool and as a weapon.

In addition, the lifetimes of Australopithecus boisei, Homo rudolfensis and Homo habilis overlap with those of Homo ergaster, which makes an exact assignment of found hand axes in many cases almost impossible. For even with immediate companion finds this does not mean conclusively that the hand ax was also processed by this hominid species, but may also have been made by another - at that time coexisting - kind.

The period of Homo ergaster extends over approximately 600,000 years (1.9 - 1.3 million years). In this time window, the species inhabited an area from East Africa to South Africa. Corresponding bone finds occurred mostly in Tanzania, but also in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa. The body constitution is similar to that of a human, because the legs are longer than the arms for the first time in the development history of hominids, which is an indication of a permanent stay on the ground. Furthermore, the walk on two legs at Homo ergaster seems very likely.

Homo ergaster or Homo erectus?

Under paleontologists, there are essentially two positions on the position of the homo ergaster in the phylogeny of man. One group sees the homo ergaster not as an independent species, but as an early form of Homo erectus. While the other group of scientists assumes that Homo erectus emerged from Homo ergaster. The problem between these two species in terms of their demarcation is already evident in the fact that bone finds over decades were very unevenly estimated by experts, depending on the paleontologist as H. ergaster or H. erectus. That is why many researchers in the H. ergaster do not see any independent species.

Profile: Homo ergaster

Genus: Homo
Type: H. ergaster
Name: lat. 'Homo' = human; lat. 'ergaster' = worker
First found: 1949 in South Africa; The first scientific description was made much later
Period: 1.9 - 1.3 million years (Pleistocene)
Height: 1.50 - 1.80m
Weight: 50 - 80kg
Distribution area: East Africa, South Africa
Brain volume: 700 - 900cm³
Food: vegetable food and meat
Tool use: Simple stone tools and hand axes
Upright gear: Yes

Summary

The extinct species Homo ergaster of the genus Homo lived about 1.9 to 1.3 million years ago in East Africa and South Africa.

Archaeological finds suggest that the Homo ergaster coexisted at least partially simultaneously with Australopithecus boisei, Homo rudolfensis and Homo habilis.

Existence as a distinct species of homo ergaster is doubted by some paleontologists.