Author Description

Revised and updated, a concise and accessible guide to man's ancestors, from the earliest hominids such as Sahelanthropus, dating back six to seven million years, through to our own species, Homo sapiens Over the past 25 years there has been an explosion of species' names in the story of human evolution, due both to new discoveries and to a growing understanding of the diversity that existed in the past. Drawing on this new information, as well as his own considerable expertise and practical experience, Charles Lockwood explains in clear, easy-to-follow language, what each of the key species represents and how it contributes to our knowledge of human evolution. He describes the main sites, the individual fossils, the people and stories involved in the key discoveries, and the basic facts about each species--what it looked like, how and when it lived, and what it ate, as well as explaining how we know all this. The text in this revised edition has been updated by a team of experts led by leading palaeoanthropologist Chris Stringer. It includes drawings, photographs and maps throughout to illustrate and enhance the text and help demystify the fascinating cast of characters who hold the secret to man's origins.