Homo Heidelbergensis

Homo heidelbergensis - ancestor of man?

A male H. heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis, also called Heidelberg man, is an extinct species of the genus Homo, which lived in Europe and Africa between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago during the Middle Pleistocene. The species owes its name to the location of a lower jaw in a sand pit near Heidelberg. More numerous finds of Homo heidelbergensis have been made in Spain, Italy, Germany, France and England.

The classification of Homo heidelbergensis in the family tree of humans is extremely controversial. Among other things, it was postulated that Homo heidelbergensis is merely a European subspecies of Homo erectus. Another view sees the role of H. heidelbergensis as the successor of Homo erectus and direct ancestor of Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens much more central, while the line could also have ended from H. erectus, via H. heidelbergensis in H. neanderthalensis, while the later H. sapiens kind already earlier artlich split off.

The brain volume of 1200 - 1400cm³ is similar to that of Homo sapiens. The body size of 1.6 - 1.7m with a weight of 50 to 60kg comes very close to modern humans. Stone tools are also covered by accompanying finds as wood spears for hunting. The Homo heidelbergensis, a hunter-gatherer, hunted in smaller groups z.T. significantly larger animals, including wildcats and big game. He is also suspected of having buried his dead as the first species of the genus Homo. Skeletal finds in the Spanish Atapuerca had grave goods with him. Whether these were added by the members of the group to the dead man, or the dead man himself had the additions, of course, can not be subsequently constructed.

Profile: Homo heidelbergensis

Genus: Homo
Type: H. heidelbergensis
Name: 'heidelbergensis' = originating from Heidelberg
First found: 1907 near Heidelberg
Period: 600,000 - 200,000 (Middle Pleistocene)
Height: 1,6 - 1,7m
Weight: 50 - 60kg
Distribution: Central Europe, North Africa, Middle East
Brain volume: 1200 - 1400cm³
Food: predominantly vegetable food
Tool use: Yes
Upright gear: Yes

Summary

The extinct species Homo heidelbergensis lived about 600,000 to 200,000 years ago in Africa and mostly in Europe.

So far, the exact position of H. heidelbergensis within human phylogeny is unclear.

The brain of Homo heidelbergensis corresponds approximately to the volume of modern man.