Modern humans, Homo sapiens, are currently the only surviving member of the genus Homo. However, in the past, other human species coexisted alongside us. Over time, advances in archaeology have revealed that the genus Homo was once full of varied species, each playing a role in our evolution.
Since 1859, when Charles Darwin published his famous work The Origin of Species, interest in reconstructing the human family tree has grown significantly. Important discoveries, such as the skeletons of Australopithecus afarensis (known as Lucy) or Homo erectus (Java Man), provided the first clues to our ancestors. However, as more and more extinct human species are being discovered, it is becoming clear that our evolutionary history is much more complicated than originally thought.
Our family tree includes not only direct ancestors such as Homo habilis and Homo erectus, but also distant relatives such as Homo neanderthalensis and Homo denisova. These discoveries help us better understand the diversity of the genus Homo, but despite these advances, there are still many gaps.
Homo Heidelbergensis - the extinct ancestor
A fascinating example of this diversity is Homo heidelbergensis, an extinct human species that lived around 600,000 years ago in Africa, Asia and Europe. This ancestor was robust, reaching an average height of 1.65 meters tall, and is considered one of the direct ancestors of Neanderthals. Some theories even suggest it may have been an 'archaic' Neanderthal.
Homo heidelbergensis was intelligent, using obsidian spears for hunting, and possibly the first Homo species to intentionally bury its dead. These discoveries have transformed our perception of human evolution, showing a complex adaptation to the environments in which they lived.
Conclusion
Recent discoveries give us a more nuanced picture of how different species of the genus Homo lived, evolved and interacted with each other. Although many unknowns remain, each new archaeological discovery brings us closer to a complete understanding of our complex evolution.