Article
Article
Early modern humans
Article By:
Trinkaus, Erik Department of Anthropology, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri.
Last reviewed:December 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.168710
The earliest representatives of people anatomically similar to living humans that evolved from more archaic humans approximately 150,000–300,000 years ago. The general process by which early modern humans (Homo sapiens) emerged from late archaic humans and eventually replaced them is gradually emerging. They evolved locally from preceding archaic humans in eastern Africa. Over the succeeding 50,000 years, their range expanded and contracted modestly with changing global climatic cycles to include, at times, the Mediterranean, southwest Asia and portions of northeastern Africa. Early modern humans and their biology and way of life, therefore, initially had little advantage over late archaic humans. See also: Anthropology; Fossil humans
The content above is only an excerpt.
About AccessScience
AccessScience provides the most accurate and trustworthy scientific information available.
Recognized as an award-winning gateway to scientific knowledge, AccessScience is an amazing online resource that contains high-quality reference material written specifically for students. Contributors include more than 10,000 highly qualified scientists and 46 Nobel Prize winners.
MORE THAN 8700 articles covering all major scientific disciplines and encompassing the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology and McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology
115,000-PLUS definitions from the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
3000 biographies of notable scientific figures
MORE THAN 19,000 downloadable images and animations illustrating key topics
ENGAGING VIDEOS highlighting the life and work of award-winning scientists
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY and additional readings to guide students to deeper understanding and research
LINKS TO CITABLE LITERATURE help students expand their knowledge using primary sources of information
