Hom.o Erectus?

Question

How does modern man differ from the hom.o erectus?

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure we have less hair, shorter and less strong, and have less "sharp" facial features. (Their eyes were sunken in, right?)

Answer 2

Main difference is brain size. Both were about the same height and weight. Homo E tended to be a bit more stocky in build and his skull is noticeably different.

Homo erectus ("Upright Man") was the first hominid to leave Africa. His existence dates from 1.6 million years ago to perhaps 200,000 years ago. However, recent discovers have suggested that isolated populations may have existed even later. Brain size is put at 850cc, height up to 6 feet and weight was comparable to modern humans.

Early discoveries of Homo Eretus remains were variously named Peking Man, Java Man and Heidelberg Man. His range was all of Africa, most of Europe and as far East as China. Sites in California have been suggested as containing Homo erectus finds. No one had satisfactorily explained how the vast distance from China to California was crossed.

Homo eretus used stone tools made by the Acheuliam process. This mainly produced a hand ax, a fist sized piece of rock that tapered to a point. The hand ax was suitable to be used as an ax, a knife, scrapper, or to dig roots.

Camps are identified by the remains of the stone tools and the debitage (debris) left from their making. Bones, and stone circles also identify the camps. Inside the stone circles, believed to be the remains of huts made of hides or bush, are found hearths. Fire use is shown by the reddish color of the soil plus the remains of burned material (carbon products)

While Homo erectus used and controlled   fire it isn't certain that he was able to create it. Most likely he was able to collect fire from lighting strikes and other natural sources. He then would maintain the fire and develop ways to carry embers to start more campfires. Fire can be made from percussion, striking sparks, by friction, rubbing wood together or by pressure as used in the fire piston. Homo erectus left no remains to suggest that he used any of these methods.

Homo sapiens "Man who thinks" The archaic form is dated between 500,000 and 150,000 years ago. Brain size is about 1200cc. The species shows strong links to and the characteristics of Homo erectus.

Homo sapiens sapiens Modern man. The first know group appears some 40,000 years ago during the Neolithic period. However, new finds are pushing that date back.

Answer 3

Homo erectus, below the neck is almost identical to a modern Homo sapien & unless the skull is found, can sometimes be mistaken for Homo Sapien.  They & the neandertal have the hyoid bone, thus giving them the equipment required for speach.  Erectus appears to have migrated out of Africa to Asia & Europe about 1.2 million yrs ago.

Homo erectus is considered the ancestor of both sapien & neandertal, but recent discoveries in Asia indicate the brain size of erectus increased to almost sapien size as they continued to evolve.  Many fossiles in Asia given other names in the past are considered to simply be evolved Homo erectus today.

The spinal canal of the erectus is slightly smaller than that of modern Homo sapiens, but still within the realm of normal for a sapien... although the low end of normal.

http://encarta.msn.com/media_461537231_7...

http://www.emuseumstore.com/product/564/...

The 1st link is an erectus skull & the 2nd is a sapien skull.

Asians have shovel shaped teeth as did the Homo erectus, but not as robust.  Homo erectus was slightly taller & slightly more robust than the average Homo sapien of 20,000 yrs ago.