Homo erectus - Fossils, Asia, Africa | Britannica
The first fossils attributed to Homo erectus were discovered by a Dutch army surgeon, Eugène Dubois, who began his search for ancient human bones on the island ...
Homo erectus - Fossils, Asia, Africa \| Britannica

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[Homo erectus](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Homo-erectus)

Table of Contents


- [Introduction](/topic/Homo-erectus)

- [Fossil evidence](/topic/Homo-erectus/Fossil-evidence)



- [The earliest finds](/topic/Homo-erectus/Fossil-evidence#ref249977)

- [Other Asian fossils](/topic/Homo-erectus/Fossil-evidence#ref249978)

- [African fossils](/topic/Homo-erectus/Fossil-evidence#ref249979)

- [European fossils](/topic/Homo-erectus/Fossil-evidence#ref249980)

- [Dating the fossils](/topic/Homo-erectus/Fossil-evidence#ref249981)

- [Body structure](/topic/Homo-erectus/Body-structure)

- [Behavioral inferences](/topic/Homo-erectus/Behavioral-inferences)

- [Relationship to _Homo sapiens_](/topic/Homo-erectus/Relationship-to-Homo-sapiens)



- [The question of ancestry](/topic/Homo-erectus/Relationship-to-Homo-sapiens#ref249985)

- [Theories of gradual change](/topic/Homo-erectus/Relationship-to-Homo-sapiens#ref249986)

- [Theories of punctuated change](/topic/Homo-erectus/Relationship-to-Homo-sapiens#ref249987)

[References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Homo-erectus/additional-info) [Quick Facts & Related Topics](/facts/Homo-erectus)

[Images & Videos](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Homo-erectus/images-videos)

[![illustration of Homo erectus](https://cdn.britannica.com/38/79538-004-F996FC7F/Homo-erectus-rendering-Artist.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/38/79538-050-6D89C9E3/Homo-erectus-rendering-Artist.jpg)[![map of early human species](https://cdn.britannica.com/54/80454-004-426A1FFE/Map-Homo-heidelbergensis-sites-erectus-Africa-Asia.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/54/80454-004-426A1FFE/Map-Homo-heidelbergensis-sites-erectus-Africa-Asia.jpg)[![Sangiran 17](https://cdn.britannica.com/08/79508-004-D984D974/Replica-Sangiran-17-Homo-erectus-skull-Java-1969.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/08/79508-050-2C3548FB/Replica-Sangiran-17-Homo-erectus-skull-Java-1969.jpg)[![Peking man](https://cdn.britannica.com/11/79511-004-9EC90715/Replica-skull-Homo-erectus-fossils-number-Peking.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/11/79511-050-C36D7B17/Replica-skull-Homo-erectus-fossils-number-Peking.jpg)[![replica of KNM-ER 3733, a fossil specimen of Homo erectus](https://cdn.britannica.com/98/79498-004-B250703A/Replica-KNM-Homo-erectus-Koobi-Fora-skull-1975.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/98/79498-050-B4FF08C7/Replica-KNM-Homo-erectus-Koobi-Fora-skull-1975.jpg)[![cranial capacity of members of the human lineage](https://cdn.britannica.com/93/393-004-4C8664A3/increase-capacity.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/93/393-050-12C6DE14/increase-capacity.jpg)[![artist's depiction of Homo erectus](https://cdn.britannica.com/04/44404-004-9B4B56A0/Artist-depiction-Homo-erectus.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/04/44404-050-2DFBD44B/Artist-depiction-Homo-erectus.jpg)[![Reconstructed skull of Peking man, based on Homo erectus specimens found at Zhoukoudian, China, and dated to approximately 230,000–770,000 years ago.](https://cdn.britannica.com/05/44405-004-17D8A760/skull-Homo-erectus-specimens-Peking-man-Zhoukoudian.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/05/44405-050-4A46EF42/skull-Homo-erectus-specimens-Peking-man-Zhoukoudian.jpg)[![human lineage](https://cdn.britannica.com/36/79536-004-6945A5F0/human-lineage-hominins-members-lineages-apes-interpretations.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/36/79536-050-BE1C475B/human-lineage-hominins-members-lineages-apes-interpretations.jpg)[![hominin cranial capacity](https://cdn.britannica.com/59/94659-120-E4003AF0/evolution-capacity-patterns-dentition-hominins.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/59/94659-050-CD6ACD58/evolution-capacity-patterns-dentition-hominins.jpg)

For Students


[![](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-124/images/shared/default3.png?v=3.124.51)](/summary/Homo-erectus)

[Homo erectus summary](/summary/Homo-erectus)

Quizzes


[![Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters](https://cdn.britannica.com/65/161265-131-DCC952FE/Sea-otter.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/quiz/animal-group-names)

[Animal Group Names](/quiz/animal-group-names)

[![Lion (panthera leo)](https://cdn.britannica.com/54/92754-131-661B61DB/lion-Panthera-leo.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/quiz/deadliest-animals-quiz)

[Deadliest Animals Quiz](/quiz/deadliest-animals-quiz)

[![Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)](https://cdn.britannica.com/57/243957-131-4BD7E5E6/mute-swan-with-cygnet.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/quiz/match-the-baby-animal-to-its-mama-quiz)

[Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz](/quiz/match-the-baby-animal-to-its-mama-quiz)

[![vulture. An adult bearded vulture at a raptor recovery center. The Gypaetus barbatus also known as the Lammergeier or Lammergeyer, is a bird of prey and considered an Old World vulture.](https://cdn.britannica.com/07/167707-131-64BCF98F/Lammergeier.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/quiz/animal-factoids)

[Animal Factoids](/quiz/animal-factoids)

[![November 3, 2015. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, after years of excavations the remains of, the Acra, used by the Greeks more than 2,000 years ago to control the Temple Mount. Jerusalem. Archeology.](https://cdn.britannica.com/84/186784-131-69D4F4F9/remains-excavations-Israel-Antiquities-Authority-Acra-Greeks-November-3-2015.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/quiz/archaeology-digging-and-scraping-quiz)

[Archaeology: Digging and Scraping Quiz](/quiz/archaeology-digging-and-scraping-quiz)

Read Next


[![Skull of Homo heidelbergensis (fossils, hominids).](https://cdn.britannica.com/87/203487-131-DDBDAD95/Skull-Homo-heidelbergensis.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/human-ancestors)

[Human Ancestors](/list/human-ancestors)

Discover


[![Marriage. A couple getting married during a church wedding ceremony. (religion, ceremony, bride, groom)](https://cdn.britannica.com/35/152735-131-06FBAE3F/Marriage-couple-church-wedding-ceremony.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/the-seven-sacraments-of-the-roman-catholic-church)

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[![Bakers Dozen of Donuts, or Paczki's](https://cdn.britannica.com/78/194478-131-980A335B/Bakers-Dozen-of-Donuts-Paczki.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/story/why-is-a-bakers-dozen-13)

[Why Is a Baker’s Dozen 13?](/story/why-is-a-bakers-dozen-13)

[![The Battle of New Orleans, by E. Percy Moran, c. 1910. Andrew Jackson, War of 1812.](https://cdn.britannica.com/94/159994-131-8E828D22/Battle-of-New-Orleans-oil-painting-E-1910.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/story/25-decade-defining-events-in-us-history)

[26 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History](/story/25-decade-defining-events-in-us-history)

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[![Close-up of ostriches (Struthio camelus) necks and heads; location unknown.](https://cdn.britannica.com/58/152058-131-0EB52C8F/Ostriches.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/6-of-the-worlds-most-dangerous-birds)

[6 of the World's Most Dangerous Birds](/list/6-of-the-worlds-most-dangerous-birds)

[![Japanese spider crab](https://cdn.britannica.com/84/195384-131-7A093184/Japanese-spider-crab.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/10-animals-evolution-plucked-straight-out-of-a-nightmare)

[10 Animals With Evolutionary Traits Plucked Straight Out of a Nightmare](/list/10-animals-evolution-plucked-straight-out-of-a-nightmare)

[![A group of diverse individuals, who represent various occupations, stand with their arms raised in the air. labor day; laborers; construction worker; teacher; nurse; doctor; assistant; office staff; blue collar; workforce](https://cdn.britannica.com/40/239640-131-052DF02A/diverse-group-occupations-workforce.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/story/why-is-labor-day-celebrated-in-september)

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Contents


[Health & Medicine](/browse/Health-Medicine)[Genetics & Evolution](/browse/Genetics-Evolution)

The first fossils attributed to _Homo erectus_ were discovered by a Dutch army surgeon, Eugène Dubois, who began his search for ancient human bones on the island of Java (now part of Indonesia) in 1890. Dubois found his first specimen in the same year, and in 1891 a well-preserved skullcap was unearthed at Trinil on the Solo River. Considering its prominent browridges, retreating forehead, and angled rear skull, Dubois concluded that the Trinil cranium showed anatomic features intermediate between those of humans (as they were then understood) and those of apes. Several years later, near where the skull was discovered, ...(100 of 4796 words)

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