Homo ergaster, meaning ‘workman’, lived in eastern and southern Africa around 1.5 million years ago. The ergaster had a good run for about 500,000 years, until vanishing from fossil records 1.3 million years ago. Homo ergaster was discovered in 1949 somewhere in southern Africa by prominent South African hominin paleontologist, John T. Robinson. Researchers have argued back and forth on the the idea that Home ergaster is a valid taxon due to the similarities between ergaster and erectus. Some differences that distinguish ergaster from erectus is: Greater development of the mandibular symphysis, broader nasal bones and nasal opening,
Home ergaster is considered to be the first hominid to use a proto-human language due to the presence of the the cervical vertebrae and markings of the digastric muscle located in the mandibular symphysis. However, the cervical vertebrae reveal that the spinal cord was thinner than in modern humans. This may indicate that this species had limited speech capacity due to the lack of nerves needed for the complex control of breathing while speaking.Even if ergaster never formed a form of verbal language, the well developed brain could have allowed symbolic communication. …show more content…
The nose was similar to humans for the first time. Double-arched brow ridge lay above the eyes and a relatively clear groove was located between the brow ridge and
Home ergaster is considered to be the first hominid to use a proto-human language due to the presence of the the cervical vertebrae and markings of the digastric muscle located in the mandibular symphysis. However, the cervical vertebrae reveal that the spinal cord was thinner than in modern humans. This may indicate that this species had limited speech capacity due to the lack of nerves needed for the complex control of breathing while speaking.Even if ergaster never formed a form of verbal language, the well developed brain could have allowed symbolic communication. …show more content…
The nose was similar to humans for the first time. Double-arched brow ridge lay above the eyes and a relatively clear groove was located between the brow ridge and