|
|
Dictionary definition: Homo sapiens
- Article from:
- The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology
- Author:
Copyright© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology 2002, originally published by Oxford University Press 2002. (Hide copyright information)
|
Homo sapiens [Sp
].
Modern humans. Although it is generally believed that this species emerged about 40 000 years ago, claims of exceptionally early finds dating back to between 130 000 and 70 000 years ago have been made for fossils found in Africa and the Levant. The toolmaking traditions of the Upper Palaeolithic outside Africa are associated with modern humans, and these date back to about 40 000 years ago too. The main controversy surrounding the origin of
Homo sapiens
is whether they are all descendants of early examples in Africa or whether there was local multi-regional development from
Homo erectus
. In the
multiregional hypothesis
, advocated by Milford ...