The document summarizes the origin and evolution of humans from early primates around 65 million years ago to modern humans. It describes key ancestors like Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and Cro-Magnon man that evolved over millions of years. Modern humans emerged around 10,000 years ago after the last ice age and migrated worldwide, evolving into the main races seen today. Genetic evidence also shows strong homology between humans and great apes.

1. ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF
HUMAN
 In 1863, T.H. Huxley tried to
explain the origin of man in his
book “Man’s place in Nature”.

3.  In 1871, Darwin published his idea
in a book “The descent of Man”.
• It was supposed that human was evolved from
some primitive eutherian mammal during
cretaceous period.
1. Origin of early primates: Early primates of
prosimian originated about 65 million years
ago. They include lemur, tarsier and lorises
which are arboreal in habitat.

4. 2. Origin of Anthropoids: They were
supposed to be evolved from
tarsioids and include simians and
hominids.
New world and old world monkey
are included in simians.

5. Old world monkeys are more
developed than new world monkeys.
They have following characters-
• Flat palm and nails on finger.
• Presence of 32 teeth.
• Able to show facial expression.
• Pinna comparatively small sized.
• Decrease in number of lumbar vertebrae.
It was assumed that one line of the
descendent became modern apes and developed
some morphological changes and evolved into
man.

6.  Bipedal locomotion.
 Enlarged brain.
 Development of stereoscopic vision.
 Absence of tail.
1. Early human ancestors: Paleontological
evidences have confirmed the presence of
following ancestors in evolution of hominids.
• Parapithecus: Its fossil was reported from the
rock of oligocene in Egypt. It was common
ancestor of old world monkey, new world
monkey and man.

7. 2. Dryopithecus or Proconsul: The fossil of
this ape was recovered from early Miocene
rock around lake of Victoria in East Africa by
Dr. Leakey.
• It had rounded forehead like modern man
but canine teeth was like ape.
• It was arboreal and used all its limbs for
locomotion but forelimbs were weaker
and shorter than hindlimbs.
• It was between ape and man.

8. 2. Ancient human fossils: The fossils of
Ramapithecus, Shivapithecus and
Australopithecus are considered as
ancient human fossils.
i. Ramapithecus:
• The fossil record of Ramapithecus is
considered as a direct ancestor of man.
• Its fossil was discovered from Africa as well as
Asia in rock of Miocene about 10-13 million
years ago.
• It was arboreal primate having man like
feeding habit.

9. • Small canine teeth like man.
• Walking erect on ground.
• Teeth were reported from Dang valley and
Tinau river of Butwal.
• Became extinct about 7 million years ago.
ii. Shivapithecus: Its fossil was similar to that of
Ramapithecus and reported from Shivalik hills
in India and Lake Victoria of Africa. They existed
about 10 million years ago.

10. iii. Australopithecus: It was the first human like
ancestor and its fossil was recovered from
Pliocene rock in Africa.
• They existed about 5 million years ago.
• The cranial capacity was about 600 c.c.
• They were about 4ft tall and weighted
about 40-50kg.
• They walked erect or stood upright.
• Bipedal locomotion.
• Omnivorous in feeding habit.
There were two species of
Australopithecus-A. africanus and A. robustus.

11. A. robustus remained unchanged and became
extinct while A. africanus continued to change till
evolution of human.
3. Modern human ancestors/ Pre-historic man:
The extinct species of Homo are called pre-
historic man. The earliest ancestors of genus Homo
are considered as modern human ancestor. They are
as follows:
i. Homo habilis: (The tool maker/ Handy man)
• The fossil of this man was recovered from east
Africa by Dr. Leakey.
• They existed about 2-3.5 million years ago.
• They were about 4-5 ft tall and weighted about
40-50kg.

12. • The cranial capacity was about 700 c.c.
• They lived in open grassy land were omnivorous
in diet.
• They probably used stone tools for hunting and
defense.
ii. Homo erectus: It is commonly called erect man.
Two similar fossils were recovered from Java and
Peking were called Java man and Peking man.
a. Java man (Homo erectus erectus/
Pithecanthropus erectus) :
• Its fossil was recovered by Dubois from eastern
Java on the bank of Solo river.

13. • The cranial capacity was about 900 c.c.
• They were about 5 ft tall weighted about 70
kg.
• Skull had heavy eyebrow ridges but
prominent chin was absent.
• Used fire for the first time for hunting,
defence and cooking.
• Made tools of stone and bone and lived in
groups in caves.
• Omnivorous in food habit having meat as the
main diet.

14. b. Peking man (Homo erectus pekinensis/
Sinanthropus pekinensis):
• The fossil of this man was recovered by W.C
Pei near Peking china.
• It was similar to java man but cranial capacity
range from 900-1200 c.c.
• Used tools for killing and cutting up animals
for food and defence.
• Showed habit of cannibalism.
• They used fire for hunting, cooking and
defence.

15. iii. Neanderthal man (Homo sapiens
neanderthalensis):
• Its fossils were recovered from Neanderthal
valley of Germany.
• They existed about 40000 years ago and
flourished in Europe, Asia and Africa.
• The cranial capacity was about 1450 c.c.
• They made tools for hunting and defence.
• They were capable of communicating with
each other and had primitive type of social
life, religion and culture.
• They buried dead bodies with ceremonies.

16. • They used animal skin for clothing.
• Skull massive with prominent eyebrow ridge
with sloping forehead.
iv. Cro-Magnon man (Homo sapiens fossilis):
• They appeared about 34000 years ago.
• Its fossil was recovered from Cro-Magnon
rock of France.
• Their cranial capacity was about 1600 c.c.
• Narrow skull with broad face.
• Strong and thick jaw with prominent chin.
• They were about 5-6 ft tall.

17. • They were expert in making sophisticated
weapons.
• They lived in caves of Europe and left
beautiful drawings of animals.
• They did not know domesticating animals and
agriculture.
v. Modern man ( Homo sapiens sapiens):
• Modern man evolved about 10000 years ago
after last glacial period and flourished all over
the world as a dominating species.
• They changed cave dwelling and hunting life

18. to crop raising life.
• Developed sense of civilization.
• Language and expression improved.
Modern man migrated into three
directions-
 Eastward- where they changed into present
day Mongoliod race found in Siberia, China,
Japan.
 Westward- where they changed into present
day white race found in Europe, America,
North Africa.

19.  Southward- where they changed into
present day Negroid race found in India,
south Africa, Malaysia.
Homology of ape and man.
• Total number of chromosomes in ape is 48
while man is 46.
• The banding pattern of chromosomes
number 3 and 6 is similar in both man and
ape.
• Total amount of DNA in human diploid cell

20. and that of great ape is not much different.
• Presence of similar type of blood
proteins.
• About 99% homology between
haemoglobin of man and gorilla.
• Amino acid sequence of cytochrome C is
similar in man and chimpanzee.
• Presence of Rh-factor in apes.