Ancestors of the Ancestors

This chapter reviews the earliest hominin dispersals from Africa and where the evidence for them has been found. It discusses salient Lower and Middle Pleistocene hominins, the evidence for their movements, the possibilities of their journeys and evolutionary relationships. The earliest hominins are described as the forerunners of Homo erectus/Homo habilis as well as an examination of the erectus ‘empires’ in Europe, Georgia, China and Indonesia and the possibilities for their relationships and mechanisms for travel. The present accepted structure of how hominins evolved during this time and their capabilities is also discussed. The relationship of Homo heidelbergensis with Neanderthals and Homo rhodesiensis and their transition to modern humans is reviewed as a setting to the emergence of modern humans.