In the January/February issue of Archaeology magazine, the article "Early Homo erectus Tools in China" holds additional, yet questionable information about the foundations of the genus Homo. Afterrecent findings of stone tools and animal bones at Renzidong (Renzi Cave) in Anhui Province, easternChina, Chinese scientists have concluded that Homo erectus may have been established there 400,000 yearsearlier than formerly believed, almost 2.25 million years ago. Besides this site being one of the oldest forfindings of early hominins, it has fueled, "[…] a debate on the origins of our genus Homo, with someChinese scientists proposing an evolution of H. erectus in China parallel to that […] in Africa"(14). Alimestone cave at Longgupo ("Dragon Hill") in Sichuan Province is also in the spotlight for the "[…]East-West debate […]", over Homo origins (14). This cave has produced a 2 million year old mandiblefragments with features supporting both ideas of origins from the Chinese and West, not yielding to asingle, simple explanation. As to where these apes made their signature development onto the open, flatland is debated indefinitely.Approximately 1.7 million years ago, Homo erectus arose in Africa and shortly thereafter spread toother continents, as most scientists believe. As they expanded their range and increased in population, H.erectus may have exterminated H. habilis. Then transition from H. erectus to H. sapiens occurred about400,000 years ago, and the dispute is over the place of origin of modern humans. "There is considerablecontroversy among scientists as to whether the transition to H. sapiens took place only in Africa, or theevolution of modern humans occurred simultaneously on three continents" (Purves 515). With littleinformation that we have now, a strong, clear hypothesis with support is lacking. But these newlyrecovered fosiils and tools in Renzidong may change things around. The "out of Afri...
