HOME Neogene Period (23.03MA-3MA) Pleistocene (3MA-10000 BCE) Mesolithic History Timeline Index

2.9 MA
GREAT AMERICAN INTERCHANGE - newly risen Isthmus of Panama allows migration of all types of animals
2.8 MA
2.7 MA
2.6
OLDOWAN TOOL INDUSTRY + oldest stone tool industry (2.6-1.7 Ma)
2.588
QUATERNARY PERIOD (2 M) (2.58 MA-p)
PLEISTOCENE EPOCH (1.99 M) (2.58 MA -12000 A)
GELASIAN2.588 STAGE (.78 M) (2.588-1.806 MA)
Lower Pleistocene - Villafranchian (-600000)
"Great Ice Age" (- aka Quaternary Glaciation) - continues to today - although it is year 12000 of an interglacial
Growth of major deserts
Australopithecines - ultimately there are two branches of this group living along side Homo - only the latter survives
2.5 MA
Sabretooth cats "arrive"
2.4 MA
2.3 MA
2.2 MA
Homo habilis appears - perhaps the oldest Homo that we know of - descended from Australopithecines (-1.6 MA
2.1 MA
2 MA Phorusrhacidae family (aka Terror Birds) appear (-2 MA)
1.9 MA
Homo ergaster appears - use of complex tools (e.g. hand axes and cleavers)
1.806 MA
CALABRIAN1.806 STAGE (1.025 M) (1.806-.781 MA)
1.8 MA
Homo erectus (aka Pithecanthropus erectus) (1.8-1.3 Ma)
1.75 MA
Definite stone tools - Paleolithic starts here instead of 500,000? 1.65 MA
ACHEULEAN INDUSTRY (-100,000) (possibly 1.8 MA) Earliest accepted example of Acheulean industry from West Turkana, Kenya
1.6 MA
KNM-WT 15000 ("Turkana Boy") - Homo ergaster skeleton from Lake Turkana, Kenya
Homo Habilis extinction event
1.5 MA
KNM ER 992 - lower jaw of Homo ergaster - type specimen for species (Koobi Fora, Kenya)
1.4 MA
Homo ergaster extinction event
1.3 MA
1.2 MA
1.1 MA
1 MA
Acheulean stone tool industry reaches Europe
1st unambiguous homonid use of fire (as evidenced in Wonderwerk Cave, South Africa)
900000
850000
800000
781000
IONIAN.781 STAGE (.655 M) (.781-.126 MA)
750000
700000
650000
600000
Early Middle Pleistocene
Gunz and Mindel Glaciations
First Interglacial
550000
500000 Kaguerian-Kamasian Interpluvial Levels
Neanderthal and human lineages diverge
Stone-tipped spears used by Homo hiedelbergensis hunters - Earliest estimate
450000
400000
350000
300000
Mousterian Culture + (-30,000) BP
275000
Late Middle Pleistocene
Second Interglacial
Riss Glaciation
250000
Rise of Homo species
200000
Homo sapiens sapiens emerge in Africa savannah
150000
Mitochondrial Eve
126000
UPPER PLEISTOCENE.126 STAGE (.1143 M) (.126-.0117 MA)
120000
95000
Late Pleistocene
Third Interglacial
Wurm Glaciation
Homo sapiens definitely evolved - burial of dead
75000
74000
Mount Toba erupts in - largest eruption in last 25 million years
60000
Mount Toba erupts in - largest eruption in last 25 million years
Homo sapiens sapiens (the surviving y adam ancestors) first journey out of Africa around this time - through Sinai or Gulf of Aden
50000
Barrington Crater Impact Event in Arizona - 50m meteeorite crashes at at least 28,000 mph
Homo sapiens reach Australia (50000-45000)
45000
Arignacian Culture + Upper Limit
40000 UPPER PALEOLITHIC
Last Ice Age (-9000)
Glaciation connects Japan to the Asian mainland
Homo sapiens sapiens reach Eurasia and Oceana- modern man appears
Cro-Magnon Man moves westward to Europe
32000
Aurignacian Culture - declines in Europe and Southwest Asia (34000 BP)
Gravettian Culture + supercedes Aurignacian
30000
Neanderthal Man becomes extinct
29000
28000
Man crosses landbridge between Asia and North America
27000
26000
25000
24000
23000
22000
21000
Decline of Aurignacian Culture in Europe and Southwest Asia (23000 BP)
20000
Cave Painting (Lascaux, altimira, et al) (-12000)
19000
18000
Maximum extent of last glaciation
Magdalenian Culture + in Western Europe (18000-10000BP)
17000
16000
15000
14500
Homo sapiens sapiens inhabit Americas
14400
13000
12000BP/10000BCE

HOME Neogene Period (23.03MA-3MA) Pleistocene (3MA-10000 BCE) Mesolithic History Timeline Index