Evolution and History of Man in Time

*under construction

------------------------------------66MYA: beginning of the Cenozoic era-----------------------------------

---Age of Mammals---

The start of the Cenozoic Era came after the mass extinction of the dinosaurs occurred. This is known as the K-Pg event, which stands for Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. Some also refer to this as the KT event, which stands for Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event.

-------------------------------------66MYA: beginning of Tertiary period------------------------------------

(also referred to in terms of Paleogene Period and Neogene Period)

---Rise of Mammals---

Paleogene Period

66-56MYA: Paleocene epoch

probable emergence of the primates 

56-33.9MYA: Eocene epoch

33.9-23.03MYA: Oligocene epoch 

Neogene Period

23.03-5.333MYA: Miocene epoch 
probable emergence of Hominoidea and Homininae

14-10MYA: genus Ramapithecus

6MYA: Bipedalism - The upright, bipedal (two-footed) gait was the first hallmark feature of our hominin ancestors. (Larsen)

5.5MYA: Nonhoning Chewing - Humans’ nonhoning chewing complex lacks large, projecting canines in the upper jaw and a diastema, or gap, between the lower canine and the third premolar. The chewing complex of apes such as gorillas has large, projecting upper canines and a diastema in the lower jaw to accommodate them. (Larsen)

5.333-2.58MYA: Pliocene epoch
multiple genera of Homininae, emergence of genus Homo 

4.4-1.4MYA: various species of the genus Australopithecus (Plio-Pleistocene)

3.3MYA: Material Culture and Tools - Humans’ production and use of stone tools is one example of complex material culture. The tools of our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees, do not approach the complexity and diversity of modern and ancestral humans’ tools. (Larsen)

2.5MYA: Speech - In the entire animal kingdom, only humans can speak and, through speech, express complex thoughts and ideas. The shape of the hyoid bone is unique to hominins and reflects their ability to speak. Speech is part of the overall package in the human lineage of increased cognition, intelligence, and brain-size expansion. (Larsen)

2.5*MYA: first stone tools (first artifacts)

----------------------------------2.58MYA: beginning of Quaternary period----------------------------------

---Rise of Man---

2.58MYA-0.0117MYA/11.7KYA: Pleistocene epoch

many species of humans

1.8MYA-150KYA: Homo erectus, first to demonstrate cultural adaptation (Middle Pleistocene)

1MYA: Hunting - Humans’ relatively large brains require lots of energy to develop and function. Animal protein is an ideal source of that energy, and humans obtained it for most of their evolution by eating animals they hunted. To increase their chances of success in hunting, humans employed tools they made and cooperative strategies. (Larsen)

75-35KYA: Homo neanderthalensis, extinct species of genus Homo (Middle to Upper Pleistocene)

0.0117MYA/11.7KYA-present: Holocene epoch

Homo Sapiens dominates

11KYA: Domesticated Food - In recent evolution, humans domesticated a wide variety of plants and animals, controlling their life cycles and using them for food and other products, such as clothing and shelter. (Larsen)

6KYA: earliest writing systems

References: 

"International Commission On Stratigraphy". Stratigraphy.Org, 2022, https://stratigraphy.org/chart

Spencer, John J, and Joseph B Aceves. Instructor's Manual To Accompany Introduction To Anthropology, Joseph B. Aceves And H. Gill King. General Learning Press, 1979.

Larsen, Clark Spencer. Essentials of Biological Anthropology. W.W. Norton & Company, 2022. 

IGNOU MA Anthropology (MAAN) Books