San Diego Museum of Man - Footsteps Through Time

Timestone 12
800,000 to 250,000 years ago
Homo heidelbergensis

This new species split off from Homo ergaster and migrated out of Africa and into what are now Europe and Asia. Homo heidelbergensis is a transition species between Homo ergaster and later hominids.

Homo heidelbergensis had a cranial capacity (indicating brain size) that was about 30% larger than that of Homo erectus. The browridges showed a transition from straight to arched. The face was broad and flat and the teeth were smaller. In what is now Europe, Neandertals descended from Homo heidelbergensis, while in Africa Homo sapiens evolved from Homo ergaster.

Cast of fossil skull
Homo heidelbergensis-Steinheim Woman
Found in Steinheim an der Murr, Germany, in 1933 by Karl Sigrist, Jr.
Age: 250,000 years

Cast of fossil skull
Homo heidelbergensis-Rhodesian Man
Found in Kabwe, Zambia, in Africa, in 1921 by Tom Zwigelaar
Age: 300,000 years

Cast of fossil jaw
Homo heidelbergensis-Heidelberg Man
Found near Heidelberg, Germany, in 1907 by quarry workers, and analyzed by Otto Schoetensack
Age: 500,000 years

Fire: A major advance

It has been difficult to pinpoint when humans controlled fire. Homo ergaster often gets the credit, in part because some evidence, such as burnt clay and charred bones, dates from this time period and because fire was probably useful in migrating out of Africa. With the mastery of fire, hominids were able to travel long distances, live in cold regions, and eat a wider variety of foods.