Origins Exploring the Fossil Record Bradshaw Foundation Palaeoanthropology Human Evolution Prehistory Fossils Artifacts Anthropology Species Hominids Hominin
Origins Exploring the Fossil Record Bradshaw Foundation Palaeoanthropology Human Evolution Prehistory Fossils Artifacts Anthropology Species Hominids Hominin
Origins Exploring the Fossil Record Bradshaw Foundation Palaeoanthropology Human Evolution Prehistory Fossils Artifacts Anthropology Species Hominids Hominin
Origins - Exploring the Fossil Record
Introduction

The major task for the Bradshaw Foundation is to promote the discovery, documentation and preservation of rock art around the world, but reference to the fossil record is important because in the realms of archaeology and palaeoanthropology, research reveals many traits of culture in the hominin sequence, developing and varying over time and place. Moreover, research is revealing that these cultural traits, including art, are not exclusive endeavours of Homo sapiens. We also now realise that the line between technical and artistic development has become somewhat blurred. The ORIGINS section is an overview of an increasingly complex picture of hominin development based on past and current research and scientific consensus in order to provide a context for the rock art. As research continues around the world, this context - and the hypotheses that go with it - will without doubt require adjustment. To read more about rock art and its relationship to the hominin sequence click here.

Species Genus
Homo Kenyanthropus Paranthropus Australopithecus Ardipithecus Orrorin Sahelanthropus
Homo Kenyanthropus Paranthropus Australopithecus
Ardipithecus Orrorin Sahelanthropus
Homo Kenyanthropus Paranthropus
Australopithecus Ardipithecus
Orrorin Sahelanthropus
Homo sapiens
Homo sapiens
200,000 years ago
to present
Denisova hominin
Denisova hominin
40,000
years ago
Homo floresiensis
Homo floresiensis
94,000 to 13,000
years ago
Homo naledi
Homo naledi
335,000 to 236,000
years ago
Homo neanderthalensis
Homo neanderthalensis
600,000 to 25,000
years ago
Homo rhodesiensis
Homo rhodesiensis
400,000 to 125,000
years ago
Homo helmei
Homo helmei
260,000
years ago
Homo heidelbergensis
Homo heidelbergensis
600,000 to 400,000
years ago
Homo antecessor
Homo antecessor
1.2m to 800,000
years ago
Homo cepranensis
Homo cepranensis
500,000 to 350,000
years ago
Homo erectus
Homo erectus
1.9m to 200,000
years ago
Homo erectus georgicus
Homo erectus georgicus
1.8 million
years ago
Homo ergaster
Homo ergaster
2 to 1.3 million
years ago
Homo rudolfensis
Homo rudolfensis
1.9 million
years ago
Homo habilis
Homo habilis
2.4 to 1.4 million
years ago
Homo gautengensis
Homo gautengensis
1.9m to to 600,000
years ago
Kenyanthropus platyops
Kenyanthropus platyops
3.5 to 3.2 million
years ago
Paranthropus robustus
Paranthropus robustus
2 to 1.2 million
years ago
Paranthropus boisei
Paranthropus boisei
2.3 to 1.2 million
years ago
Paranthropus aethiopicus
Paranthropus aethiopicus
2.7 to 2.5 million
years ago
Australopithecus sediba
Australopithecus sediba
2 million
years ago
Australopithecus garhi
Australopithecus garhi
2.6 to 2.5 million
years ago
Australopithecus africanus
Australopithecus africanus
3 to 2 million
years ago
A. bahrelghazali
Australopithecus bahrelghazali
3.6 million
years ago
Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus afarensis
3.9 to 2.9 million
years ago
Australopithecus anamensis
Australopithecus anamensis
4.2 million
years ago
Ardipithecus ramidus
Ardipithecus ramidus
4.4 million
years ago
Ardipithecus kadabba
Ardipithecus kadabba
5.6 million
years ago
Orrorin tugenensis
Orrorin tugenensis
6 to 5.8 million
years ago
Sahelanthropus tchadensis
Sahelanthropus tchadensis
7 million
years ago
Links

Follow the Bradshaw Foundation on social media for news & updates
Follow the Bradshaw Foundation
on social media for news & updates
Follow the Bradshaw Foundation on social media for news & updates
Follow the Bradshaw Foundation
on social media for news & updates
 
If you have enjoyed visiting this website
please consider adding a link © Bradshaw Foundation