Jacob F.Field

Around 2 million years ago the earliest humans emerged in sub-Saharan Africa. They have been classified as Homo habilis (‘skilful man’). Over the millennia they evolved into modern humans, Homo sapiens (‘wise man’), which settled across the world.

it was nicknamed ‘Nutcracker Man’ because of its large molar teeth.

was nicknamed ‘Nutcracker Man’ because of its large molar teeth.

The East African Rif

A major breakthrough came on 17 July 1959, on the Leakeys’ seventh expedition to Olduvai. While Mary was walking her six Dalmatians she found a fragment of bone. It proved to be part of a mostly complete skull that was 1.75 million years old; it was nicknamed ‘Nutcracker Man’ because of its large molar teeth.

The Fertile Crescent is a region in the Middle East defined by two major rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, which originate in the mountains of Turkey and Iran and flow into the Persian Gulf,

Cape Coast Castle

Their larger brains and greater intelligence gave them the ability to live in a wider range of environments, and they spread into the Near East between 130,000 and 100,000 years ago.

After Homo sapiens arrived in these places there was probably interbreeding with Neanderthals. Genetic testing has shown that modern humans from these regions still carry Neanderthal DNA. However, Homo neanderthalensis as a distinct species became extinct approximately 40,000 years ago; the reasons for this are still debated, although possible causes include climate change or being supplanted by Homo sapiens.

Further digs commenced