Beginning around 300,000 years ago fossils that would be classified as Homo sapiens with near-modern or modern features appear. Around 100,000 years ago fossils that are considered fully modern in appearance start to appear. Fully modern Homo sapiens are often referred to as Homo sapiens sapiens. The fossils form between these periods are considered transitional fossils between archaic and modern Homo sapiens.

Fossils with modern features are the only fossils that are placed in the category of Homo sapiens. To be classified as a modern feature the fossils have to posses features that are common in humans today. The loss of a prognathous profile, no heavy brow ridges, globular skull shape, more vertical forehead, smaller narrower flatter faces, and protruding chin are some of the criteria that would fit a fossil into the modern category. The cranial capacity of a modern Homo sapiens is also around 1,400cc.The post cranial skeleton being less robust is also considered a modern characteristic.

The fossils of Homo sapiens appear earliest in Africa and later in Southwest Asia, Europe, and East Asia. Later than this modern humans migrated to Australia, the Americas, and the islands of the Pacific. As you move farther from Africa and Southwest Asia dates for modern Homo sapiens become more and more recent, this indicates that Africa is the birthplace for modern human.

The earliest fossil evidence for modern Homo sapiens sapiens is found in South Africa. At sites such as Klasies River mouth and Border Cave, fossil remains and artifacts date to around 100,000 years ago and represent fully anatomically modern humans.

References:

Park, Michael A. Biological Anthropology 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill. New York, New York. 2005.

Price, Douglas T. and Gary M. Feinman. Images of the Past 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill. New York, New York. 2005

By:

Jared Langseth, 2005.