8 Types of Ancient Humans Found in Indonesia, Know Their Types and Characteristics

Kapanlagi.com - Every human has their own history in life, because in general history is a past event that has meaning. With history, we can know how someone's life journey. And from history, we can also learn to improve mistakes. Even since sitting in school, we have been taught history lessons, why? Because history is an important knowledge that must be learned and introduced to the younger generation so that we do not forget it. Because learning history is not just creating an understanding of history, but also to learn and emulate the values behind those historical events.

But what about human history itself? Have we ever wondered how life on Earth was tens of thousands to millions of years ago? Has there been any living creatures here? If so, are they the same as us? Since when did they exist? And so on. Most research states that ancient humans are the ancestors of modern humans. In fact, Indonesia plays an important role in archaeological research because around 60 percent of ancient human fossils in the world can be found in Indonesia. Ancient humans are prehistoric humans who lived millions of years ago in a very simple and dependent on natural resources. In Indonesia, there are 8 types of ancient humans that have been found, along with their types and characteristics.

1. Meganthropus Paleojavanicus

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Ancient human Meganthropus Paleojavanicus was discovered in the Sangiran area by Van Koeningswald, a Dutch archaeologist, in 1936. Its characteristics include thick cheekbones, strong jaw muscles, no chin, prominent brow bones, and a head shape with a protrusion at the back.

2. Pithecanthropus Erectus

This ancient human species has an average height of about 165-180 cm, and was found in the Trinil area of the Bengawan Solo valley by Eugene Dubois in 1890. Unlike Meganthropus Paleojavanicus, this type of ancient human has its own distinct characteristics. These include strong molars, a thick and prominent forehead, and an imperfectly upright posture.

3. Pithecanthropus Soloensis

(credit: flicker)

Still from the Solo region, the ancient human Pithecanthropus Soloensis was found in the Ngandong area by Openorth and Van Koeningswald around 1931-1933. The characteristics of Pithecanthropus Soloensis include prominent spinal bones, strong lower jaw, wide nose, and prominent cheekbones.

4. Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis

Now, for the ancient human type Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis, it has characteristics such as thick skull bones, no chin, and an upright body posture. Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis was discovered by Van Koeningswald in the Mojokerto area of East Java.

5. Homo Floresiensis

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Ancient humans who are called 'homo' because these ancient humans have similarities with modern humans today. Homo Floresiensis, found on the island of Flores, Nusa Tenggara, has characteristics such as a height of one meter, a narrow and non-prominent forehead, a small skull, and prominent jawbones.

6. Homo Wajakensis

This ancient human species lived in a more modern era than other ancient humans. Its fossils were found in the Tulungagung area of East Java by Eguene Dubois. Homo Wajakensis has characteristics such as a flat and wide face, prominent cheekbones, a slightly distant position of the nose and mouth, and walking upright.

7. Homo Soloensis

(credit: flicker)

Homo Soloensis falls into the category of ancient humans who are more intelligent than other ancient humans. These ancient humans, who lived around 300-900 thousand years ago, have characteristics such as a height of up to 210 cm, and their facial bone structure is not similar to that of primates.

8. Homo Sapiens

Homo sapiens is the last type of ancient humans that we will discuss. These ancient humans are the youngest and almost have a physical appearance similar to modern humans. Their fossils have characteristics similar to humans, with a small and protruding occiput, a chin, and a not too strong jawbone.

Now that you know about human history, are you starting to become interested in learning about other histories? It is important to know that learning history doesn't always have to be from reading books. There are many ways to make learning history fun and not boring. For example, by watching movies, you can utilize this medium to learn more about an event, as there are now many histories that have been made into films. In addition to watching films, you can visit the national museum to learn and see historical artifacts firsthand. The last way is to retrace or visit historical locations directly, which can be an effective way to experience what the heroes of the past felt. Hope it's useful.

(kpl/dtm)