The idea behind this mindmap is to try to link known information, dates and other pieces of the puzzle to provide a more accurate picture of human evolution. Many psuedo-scientific text have attempted to use our interest in our past with incorrect evidence. This mindmap tries to provide a more lucid picture with information from encyclopaedias and other scientific sources.
binomial and trinomial naming have been used to classify both species and sub-species. The science of taxonomy precedes Darwin's common descent theory*.
primates
homonidae
homoninae
Homo
Habilis
1.3m tall, could walk erect habitually.
2,500,000 years ago
erectus
1.7m+ tall, walked erect. Compared to Homo Ergastus. Had advanced tooling capability (fossils were found near tools).
The first homonid species with known predatory characteristics. They have also been known to hunt in packs and use stone tools.
1,850,000 years
ergaster
First known subspecies of homo erectus, fossil record dates 1,900,000 years ago.
Sapien
"knowing" man. We (modern humans) are a classified subspecies of this species (trinomial naming), hence "homo sapien sapien". Cro-Magnon man was "homo sapien", us, anatomically - though by behavior possibly very different.
500,000 year evolution [beg]
Our evolution as the superior species begins about 500,000 years ago.
150,000 ybp eve
This search for a common female ancestor to all present living humans was done with the help of Mitochondrial DNA (as opposed to Nuclear DNA)
70,000 ybp adam
This study for a common male ancestor to all living humans was done with Nuclear DNA, tracing the Y chromosome. The Y chromosome is inherited through males (essentially females modified to carry the Y chromosome).
10,000 year history
do we really have accounts of what happened up to 10,000 years ago? Well, with all the great epics of the past and information that has been verbally passed on and all that has been written, we possibly cannot know beyond 10,000 years of our history. More than a possibility, this is the limit beyond which all cultural or verbal accounts of history may not be present and will be highly unlikely.
30,000 years "exclusivity"
30,000 years, homo sapiens had no homo species co-existing with them. This was the classical thought until in 2004, homo floresiensis was found and alleged to have been extinct 12000 years ago implying the possibility that we may not have been "exclusive."
floresiensis
100,000 ybp
12,000 years extinction?
small brain mass!
380cc in comparison to 1350cc for us, 1750cc for homo ergaster and company. The cranial cavity volume vs body volume measure of intelligence doesn't seem to fit here. However, we must understand that this is most likely "forbes' law" in action unless we get more specimens of this species in a mainland.
Menehune?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menehune - speculation on the possibility that this creature of folklore could indeed be what was found. For popular science, called the "hobbit", because of Tolkien's work.
neanderthalensis
They were not our ancestors (mitochondrial DNA from fossil evidence is clearly different from our mitochondrial DNA). This possibly strengthens the argument that they were indeed another species (and not a subspecies of homo sapiens).
Their is limited (insufficient) evidence to show they used fire or language nor of burying the dead.
230,000 ybp
heidelbergensis
600,000 ybp
bury dead, use fire
Seem to have joined man over 100,000 years ago [we call this 'domesticated']. They have been companions ever since this time and paleolithic burial sites with dogs have been found indicating that the bond had been formed that early.
carnivora
canidae
canis
canis lupus
popularly known as "wolves". The first dogs/human companions were probably identifiable as wolves. Remember the later association of Romulus and Remus and the wolf. The wolf can interbreed with dogs, man's companion!
c l familiaris
The domestic dog, is a subspecies of canis lupis (wolf) and can interbreed with wolves! There are 800 known species of the domestic dog.
14,000 ybp, domesticated
Known burial of dogs alongside humans existed between 150,000 and 14,000 years ago. The dog earned its status as a companion to the humans and formed most of the 800 breeds known today in this period.
a lot of evidence exists for events like the ice age, the great flood(s). These events occurred during human evolution and had an obvious effect on them.
glacial, interglacial periods recurring alternately are noted geologically. interglacial periods are known to last between 10,000 and 50,000 years. In this respect, we will be in an interglacial period. 6 periods of which 4 are listed here - cramped up as they are. The idea is that these periods have been recurrent throughout human evolution and any human who has survived (we have), knows how to adapt to these changes or *can* adapt. This indicates that most of these periods of glaciation were not swift to cause immediate floodings, but were slow and deliberate.
15,000 ybp [end]
The last glacial period ended about 15,000 years ago. (sometimes listed as 10,000 years)
Deluge
The Great Flood, in scientific terms, was multitudes of floods occuring over a long period of time (16000 BC to 6000 BC) due to melting of ice sheets. In mythology, each culture usually refers to "one" great flood and one surviving patriarch*.
18,000 years ago [begin]
8,000 years ago [end]
Tollmann's Bolide
A hypothetical meteor/comet collision event(s) that occured 7640 BC and subsequently at 3150 BC. Thought to be the cause of the Holocene extinction and the impact was in the oceans which caused great tidal waves. If true, this would be the [most probable] source of the "great flood" myth. The great lakes have striatic salt formations that can be [easily] explained with this theory.
10,000 ybp [1]
5640 B.C, first object
5,000 ybp [2]
3150 B.C ? second object
180,000 ybp [beg]
130,000 ybp [end]
70,000 ybp [beg]
230,000 ybp [end]
300,000 ybp [beg]
600,000 ybp [*]
short period of glaciation lasted until 585,000 ybp
A complex organization of society with a social order, governing technique, agriculture and possibly other form of industry. This can be accompanied by trade, military capability and other technological aids.
5,500 ybp
5,000 ybp
now speculatively changed to the sindhu-saraswati (WTF) civilization in 2002, this find in pakistan (harappa, mohenjadaro) existed 1800 BCE
4,600 ybp
4,000 ybp
3,500 ybp
Ramayana
The first of the two greatest epics of the vedic culture. Written first by Sage Valmiki in 220 BC (2220ybp) and later translated into other languages.
24,000 verses long
2,220 ybp [w]
written and scribed as an "ancient" stories from a time before time!
1,750,000 ybp [e]*
The Land bridge between India and Srilanka would have been navigable at this time and seems to be built by humans as the story goes.
Humans inhabited sri-lanka at this time, and the man-made land bridge could have been built at this stime *speculating*. There is obviously not much evidence (other than geological) to support this.
If geological findings and dating of the land bridge are true, who are these "humans"?
Or this could be just a red herring, this is too far beyond any known epic.
10,000 ybp [e]
The Ramayan most likely happened at this time according to astronomical data contained in it. This date is even more plausible.
Mahabharatha
the longest epic of the Indian epics, measuring 100,000 verses and containing the basic principles of the :hindu: religion.
5,100 ybp [e]
This is calculated from the total solar eclipse that happens during the war. If anything, the event has to have happened before this and earlier attempts place it only a millenia into the future.
3,000 ybp
Information until 1000 BCE is available to ascertain their existence.
3,000 ybp
we could put this at 3,000 ybp, as most of the greek stories and information dates this far.
Troy
Homer's Ilium may have existed, though many argue it is a work of fiction. Troy VIIa (Homer's Troy) - which means there were many of them before and after, is dated around 1200 BC or 1100 BC
3,300 ybp [war]
if this war ever happened, this would be the time. Even if the mythical war never happened, the bronze age greeks would have fought and tried to create a greek empire through many battles at this time.
Atlantis?
Was plato talking about a real place or merely trying to ascertain his "republic" could exist somewhere. Most critics feel the latter is probably true. Atlantis is not the only known lost/phantom island/continent.
11,350 years destruction?