The Homo erectus mascot is a representation of the ancient hominin species Homo erectus. Homo erectus, meaning "upright man," is an extinct species of human that lived from about 2 million to 300,000 years ago. They are considered to be one of the most successful and widespread early human species, with fossils found across Africa, Asia, and Europe. The concept of a Homo erectus mascot is often used in educational and promotional materials related to human evolution or anthropology. The mascot typically takes the form of a cartoon or costume character modeled after the physical characteristics of Homo erectus. This can include a prominent brow ridge, a large nose, and a robust body structure.
Dubois unearthed an isolated tooth (Trinil 1) and - most importantly - the top part of a skull (Trinil 2) and a thigh bone (Trinil 3). Together they have often been referred to as Java Man.
The thigh bone indicated the creature had an erect, human-like posture, but the skullcap indicated its brain was much smaller than humans today and featured a distinct brow ridge. The thigh bone indicated the creature had an erect, human-like posture, but the skullcap indicated its brain was much smaller than humans today and featured a distinct brow ridge.
This can include a prominent brow ridge, a large nose, and a robust body structure. The Homo erectus mascot is often used to engage and educate people about human evolution in a fun and accessible way. It can be seen at museums, educational exhibits, and events where the focus is on human origins and evolution.
Homo erectus
‘Peking Man’ Homo erectus skull. Discovered: Zhoukoudian, China. The original ‘Peking Man’ skull was reconstructed using a mixture of male and female fossils whereas the modern reconstruction by I. Tattersal and G. Sawyer combines fossil pieces from males only. Image: Stuart Humphreys
© Australian Museum
Fossils of these short and stocky humans, with their distinctive skull shape and large brow ridges, have mostly been found in China and Indonesia.
Debate abounds as to whether the Asian fossils and those from Africa should be classified together as Homo erectus or if the African examples are different enough to be called Homo ergaster. The information on this page refers specifically to Asian Homo erectus.
Background on Homo erectus discovery
Homo erectus Age
Homo erectus species lived between 100,000 and 1.6 million years ago, although some estimates extend this to between 35,000 and 1.8 million years ago.
Important fossil discoveries
After years of searching Indonesia for ‘the missing link’, Dutchman Eugene Dubois finally uncovered part of a skull in 1891 (known as ‘Java Man’). He believed this fossil belonged to an ancient and ‘upright’ human and so coined the species name erectus. Other scientists dismissed this interpretation, preferring to emphasise its ape-like qualities. Dubois’ opinion was validated when a series of similar fossils were uncovered in China during the 1920s and 1930s.
Important Homo erectus specimens
- Sangiran 17 – a 1.2 million-year-old skull discovered in 1969 in Sangiran, Indonesia. This adult male skull is the best preserved Homo erectus skull from Java.
- Zhoukoudian 3 – a skullcap discovered in 1929 in Zhoukoudian, China. This adolescent’s skullcap was originally found in fragments. When the pieces were fitted together, they showed that this young individual had a brain size of 915 cubic centimetres.
- ‘Java Man’ or Trinil 2 – a skullcap discovered in 1891 by Eugene Dubois in Trinil, Indonesia. This fossil was nicknamed ‘Java Man’ because it was found on the island of Java. It is the ‘type specimen’ or official representative for the species.
- Sangiran 2 – a 1 million-year-old skullcap discovered in 1937 in Sangiran, Indonesia
- ‘Solo Man’ or Ngandong – a skull cap discovered in 1932 in Ngandong, Indonesia. Because its exact original location is unknown, published dates have ranged from 35,000 to 500,000 years old. ‘Solo Man’ shares similarities with earlier Homo erectus specimens from Sangiran and is considered to be a late Homo erectus.
- ‘Mojokerto’ or Perning 1 – a juvenile skull discovered in 1936 in Mojokerto, Indonesia. Radiometric dates have suggested this child’s skull may be as old as 1.8 million years, which significantly increases the previous dates for Homo erectus in Asia. However, this date is debated as the sediment sample taken for dating was taken about 60 years after the skull was collected and the two may have come from different levels.
- Zhoukoudian 5 – a partial skull discovered in Zhoukoudian, China. This skull was reconstructed from several pieces found in 1934, 1936 and 1966.
- ‘Peking Man’ discovered in Zhoukoudian, China. The original ‘Peking Man’ skull was reconstructed using a mixture of male and female fossils whereas the modern reconstruction by I. Tattersal and G. Sawyer combines fossil pieces from males only.
- Sangiran 4 – a 1.5 million-year-old upper jaw discovered in 1939 in Sangiran, Indonesia. The canine teeth were larger than those found in modern humans. This is one of the oldest specimens from Sangiran.
- Sangiran 1 – a 1.5 million-year-old partial lower jaw discovered in 1936 in Sangiran, Indonesia. This is the first human fossil discovered at Sangiran.
What the name Homo erectus means
Homo, is a Latin word meaning ‘human’ or ‘man’ and is the genus or group name of this species.
The second word in this species’ scientific name is erectus. This name was selected to indicate that this species’ ability to stand and walk with an upright or erect stance.
Close Modal DialogStay in the know
Uncover the secrets of the Australian Museum with our monthly emails.
Homo erectus Distribution
Homo erectus is now one of the better known of our human relatives with over 40 specimens excavated from Java and many more from sites in China.
Sangiran on the island of Java, is the most important Homo erectus site in Indonesia. The remains of over 80 individuals have been found here at a number of localities. The region was first occupied about 1.6 million years ago.
The site of Zhoukoudian, 40 kilometres south of Beijing in China, has yielded the largest number of Homo erectus fossils from any one locality (about 50 individuals are represented by the remains). About 100,000 stone tool artefacts were also in the cave. These were mostly quartz and sandstone chopping tools and flakes. It was occupied between 200,000 and 750,000 years ago, although evidence suggests that occupation was sporadic rather than permanent. Hyenas and other animals also used the cave site.
Initial excavations between 1926 and 1937 yielded five skullcaps, various other skull fragments, 11 jaws and more than 140 teeth. Almost all of these fossils were lost in 1941 when the Japanese invaded China during World War II. Fortunately, accurate replicas of these fossils had been made. Additional Homo erectus fossils were excavated at Zhoukoudian after World War II and have also been excavated since from Chinese sites including Hexian, Lantian and Nanjing.
Homo erectus Relationships with other species
A growing number of scientists have redefined the species Homo erectus so that it now contains only east Asian fossils. Many of the older African fossils formerly known as Homo erectus have now been placed into a separate species, Homo ergaster and this species is considered to be ancestral to Homo erectus. The redefined Homo erectus is now generally believed to be a side branch on our family tree whereas Homo ergaster is now viewed as one of our direct ancestors.
However, some scientists still support the view that all these specimens are Homo erectus and that this species includes individuals that vary in their features and have a widespread distribution over both time and geographic location.
There is even debate about whether the two Asian H.erectuspopulations represent the same species. Prior to the 1950s the fossils from Java were known as Pithecanthropus erectus and those from China were called Sinanthropus pekinensis. Many early finds also had nicknames taken from the places they were found, such as ‘Peking Man’, ‘Java Man’, and ‘Solo Man’. In the 1950s they were all placed in the one species, Homo erectus, but some scientists still believe the specimens represent different species or subspecies and use the name Homo pekinensis for the Chinese fossils.
Even if the populations in Indonesia and China were the same species, the idea is now being proposed that the populations were not connected, and that the Chinese population arrived later than the Indonesian and came from a different source. Initially, it was believed that the Asian H.erectus originated with one group that dispersed from a single source in Africa.
The mascot may interact with visitors, provide information, or pose for photos, making the learning experience more interactive and entertaining. Some argue that the use of a Homo erectus mascot can be controversial, as it can be seen as trivializing an ancient human species and reducing them to mere entertainment. Critics argue that it is important to treat ancient human species with respect and present them in a more scientifically accurate and dignified manner. However, proponents of the Homo erectus mascot argue that it can be an effective tool for engaging and educating people, especially children, about human evolution. By presenting Homo erectus in a fun and approachable way, it can spark curiosity and interest in the topic and encourage further exploration and learning. Overall, the Homo erectus mascot serves as a visual and interactive representation of an important chapter in human evolutionary history. While its use may be somewhat debated, its goal is to engage and educate people about our ancient ancestors and the incredible journey of human evolution..
Reviews for "The Iconic Status of the Homo erectus Mascot"
1. Emily - 2 out of 5 stars - I understand that the Homo erectus mascot was intended to be historically accurate, but I found it to be highly insensitive. The use of a prehistoric human species as a mascot trivializes the struggles and oppression that real humans have faced throughout history. Additionally, the mascot's exaggerated features seemed to poke fun at our ancestors rather than celebrating them. Overall, I think this mascot was in poor taste and could have been better thought out.
2. John - 1 out of 5 stars - As an anthropology student, I was shocked and disappointed to see the Homo erectus mascot being used. It perpetuates harmful stereotypes about early humans and reinforces the idea that they were primitive and less evolved compared to modern humans. This mascot shows a complete lack of understanding and respect for the subject matter, and I find it offensive and inappropriate.
3. Sarah - 3 out of 5 stars - While I understand that the intention of the Homo erectus mascot may have been to educate and engage with history, I believe it missed the mark. The exaggerated features and cartoonish representation of our early ancestors felt disrespectful and did not encourage a deeper understanding of human evolution. A more thoughtful and accurate representation of Homo erectus could have been used to create a more meaningful connection with the audience.
4. Michael - 2 out of 5 stars - The Homo erectus mascot is more of a caricature than a representation of our ancient ancestors. It simplifies and trivializes the complexity of human evolution, making the topic seem less important and significant. While it may have served its purpose in capturing attention, it failed to communicate any meaningful message about our shared history. I believe a different approach would have been more appropriate and respectful.