Homo ergaster
Homo ergaster (the craftsman) is a representative missing from the kind Homo . The majority of the fossils now allotted to this taxon were in the past allotted to Homo erectus but this one from now on is regarded as exclusively eurasiatic.
Origin
Homo ergaster lived in Africa, between 2,2 1 and year million million years before our era. It would go down directly from Homo habilis . Its brain reaches 850 cm ³, which implies a regular meat consumption. One can suppose that it becomes more hunter than Charognard.The specimens discovered measured between 1,55 m and 1,70 m, for a weight from 50 to 65 kg. The sexual Dimorphisme of this species is more reduced than at Homo habilis . The Homo ergaster remains however very antiquated of facies, with a nose absent and a jaw very prognathe.
According to the assumption most usually currently accepted, Homo ergaster is the ancestor of Homo erectus . It is probable that he is also the ancestor of Homo antecessor .
Vestiges
The most complete fossil to date discovered is that of a young specimen exhumed with Nariokotome, in the west of the Lac Turkana (Kenya) and called “Turkana Boy”.
Techniques
Like Homo habilis , Homo ergaster uses stone tools cut. He invents the Biface, characteristic of the Acheuléen. Perhaps he discovers the use of fire, but does not control it.
Manners and cultures
The size of the brain of the new-born babies of the Homo ergaster (450 cm ³) lets suppose that they were about as stripped as the new-born babies of Homo sapiens . It is probable that Homo ergaster then reinforced the family units of its clans, in order to better protect its descent.Its lower extremities longer than those of Homo habilis make to Homo ergaster a good walker. The hips of the females remain on the other hand broader than those of the female Homo sapiens .
Homo ergaster was regarded as the first member of the kind Homo to migrate, conqueror of new habitats. It did not act of course for him of a strategy, but just to follow the sources of food. The discovery of Homo georgicus recently calls this assumption in question.