Indonesian Early Man
Indonesian Early Man
Indonesian Early Man - As a country blessed with various cultures and rich natural resources, the Indonesian Archipelago also has a variety of archaeological remains from the pre-literate period, including the remains of ancient human fossils. The remains of Indonesian ancient human fossils can be said to be one of the largest and oldest relics in the world. Below are the types of early Indonesian humans based on the results of excavations and discoveries made by colonial archaeologists;
Indonesian Early Man: Meganthrophus
The Meganthrophus fossil is one of the ancient Indonesian fossils found by Ralph von Koenigswald in 1941 in Sangiran. This type of ancient Indonesian human is estimated to be the oldest human living in Java. It is estimated that Meganthrophus lived about 2 million – 1 million years ago, coinciding with the Lower Pleistocene. This fossil is called Meganthrophus Paleojavanicus, which means a large and oldest human from Java.
Meganthrophus Paleojavanicus is considered the oldest ancient human in Indonesia, not only in Java. Among early humans in Indonesia, Meganthrophus Paleojavanicus is the predecessor of various types of early humans in Indonesia.
Indonesian Early Man: Pithecantrophus Erectus
Pithecanthrophus fossils are the most abundant fossils of ancient Indonesian humans found in the Indonesian Archipelago. Therefore, it can be said that the Pleistocene in Indonesia was dominated by humans of the Pithecanthrophus type. The discovery of Pithecanthrophus fossils was found in Perning, Kedungbrubus, Trinil, Sangiran, Connect Macan and Ngandong. Pithecanthrophus man is a supporter of the culture of hunting and gathering food.
Pithecanthrophus humans are classified into three namely Pithecanthrophus erectus, Pithecanthrophus soloensis and Pithecanthrophus modjokertensis. Pithecanthrophus modjokertensis was discovered by Weidereich and Ralph von Koenigswald in 1936 in Mojokerto, East Java. While Pithecanthrophus soloensis was discovered in 1939 in the Bengawan Solo River Valley. Both types of early humans are thought to have originated from the Lower Pleistocene.
Pithecanthrophus modjokertensis has the characteristics of a sturdy body with an estimated cranial volume of 650 cc in children and 1000 cc in adults. Has a protruding upper jaw with large teeth, a thick forehead protrusion, and very strong cheekbones. Pithecanthrophus modjokertensis is thought to have coexisted with Megantrophus.
Pithecanthrophus erectus means an ape man who walks upright. This fossil was discovered by Eugene Dubois in 1890 in Trinil, Bengawan Solo River Valley. The discoveries at Trinil include teeth, jaws, skulls, and femurs. It is estimated that Pithecanthrophus lived about 300,000 years ago, during the Middle Pleistocene.
Indonesian Early Man: Homo
Early Indonesian humans of the Homo type are also found in the Indonesian Archipelago. This type of human is thought to be a supporter of Mesolithic to Neolithic culture. The types of Homo found in Indonesia are Homo Soloensis and Homo wajakensis. The following is a description of each of these ancient human types;
Homo Soloensis fossils were found near Ngandong, Bengawan Solo River Valley by Ter Haar, Oppenoorth and von Koenigswald in 1931. The first Homo sapiens human showing the Australoid race and found in Indonesia is the Homo wajakensis type. This type of human was discovered in 1889 in the Wajak area by von Rietschoten.
According to von Koenigswald, this type of human came from the Late Pleistocene layer of the earth. The tools used to sustain life are complete. And this type of human has developed a farming culture. That is a brief description of ancient humans in Indonesia which are divided into three types, namely the type of Megantrophus, Pithecanthrophus and the type of Homo.
That's a brief explanation of the Indonesian Early Man.....