Neogene (23.03MA-3MA) Pleistocene (3 MA - 12,000 BP) 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 MAa
OLDOWAN TOOL INDUSTRY + oldest stone tool industry (2.6-1.7 Ma)
2.588 Ma
QUATERNARY PERIOD (2.58 MA-p)
PLEISTOCENE EPOCH (2.58 MA -12000 A)
GELASIAN STAGE (2.588-1.806 MA)
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 - descended from Australopithecines (-1.6 MA)
2.1 Ma
2 Ma
Phorusrhacidae family (aka Terror Birds) appear
1.9 Ma
Homo ergaster appears - use of complex tools (e.g. hand axes and cleavers)
1.806 Ma
CALABRIAN STAGE (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 (1.65 Ma -100 ka) Earliest accepted example of Acheulean industry from West Turkana, Kenya
1.6 Ma
KNM-WT 15000 ("Turkana Boy") - Homoergaster 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
1.0 Ma
Acheulean stone tool industry reaches Europe
First homonid use of fire (Wonderwerk Cave, South Africa)
990000
980000
970000
960000
950000
940000
930000
920000
910000
900000
890000
880000
870000
860000
850000
840000
830000
820000
810000
800000
790000
781000
IONIAN STAGE (781-126 ka)
780000
770000
760000
750000
740000
730000
720000
710000
700000
690000
680000
670000
660000
650000
640000
630000
620000
610000
600000
Early Middle Pleistocene
Gunz and Mindel Glaciations
First Interglacial
590000
580000
570000
560000
550000
540000
530000
520000
510000
500000
Kaguerian-Kamasian Interpluvial Levels
Neanderthal and human lineages diverge
Stone-tipped spears used by Homo hiedelbergensis - Earliest estimate
490000
480000
470000
450000
450000
440000
430000
420000
410000
400000
390000
380000
370000
360000
350000
340000
330000
320000
310000
300000
Mousterian Culture + (300 - 30 ka ) 290000
280000
275000
Late Middle Pleistocene
Second Interglacial
Riss Glaciation
270000
260000
250000
Rise of Homo species
240000
230000
220000
210000
200000
Homo sapiens sapiens emerge in Africa savannah
190000
180000
170000
160000
150000
Mitochondrial Eve
140000
130000
126000
UPPER PLEISTOCENE STAGE (126 - 11.7 ka)
120000
110000
100000
99000
98000
97000
96000
95000
Late Pleistocene
Third Interglacial
Wurm Glaciation
Homo sapiens - burial of dead
94000
93000
92000
91000
90000
89000
88000
87000
86000
85000
84000
83000
82000
81000
80000
79000
78000
77000
76000
75000
74000
73000
72000
71000
70000
69000
68000
67000
66000
65000
64000
63000
62000
61000
Mount Toba erupts in Sumatra- largest eruption in last 25 million years
60000
Homo sapiens sapiens (the surviving y adam ancestors) first journey out of Africa around this time - through Sinai or Gulf of Aden
59000
58000
57000
56000
55000
54000
53000
52000
51000
50000
Barrington Crater Impact Event in Arizona - 50 metre meteorite crashes
Homo sapiens reach Australia (50000-45000)
49000
48000
47000
46000
45000
44000
43000
42000
41000
Aurignacian Culture + Upper Limit
40000
UPPER PALEOLITHIC
Glaciation connects Japan to the Asian mainland
Homo sapiens sapiens reach Eurasia and Oceana- modern humans appear
Cro-Magnons move westward to Europe
39000
38000
37000
36000
35000
34000
Aurignacian Culture - declines in Europe and Southwest Asia (34000 BP)
33000
32000
Gravettian Culture + supercedes Aurignacian
31000
30000
Neanderthals extinct
29000
28000
Humans cross 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
12000 BP/10000 BCE

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