500 000 ya

1. Homo erectus, which originated in Africa, settled in Southeast Asia 500 000 to 300 000 years ago. The average brain size of this species was 950-1100cc

2. A species known as Homo heidelbergensis lived in Europe from around 600 000 to 250 000 years ago. This species is ancestral to H. neanderthalensis (and some suggest also to H. sapiens)

3. From about 200,000 years ago Europe was occupied by a distinctive form of humanity classified as Homo neanderthalensis. They were of stocky build. The men were, on average, a little over 152 cm (5 ft.) tall. The brains of adults ranged from 1,450 cc to 1,650 cc – rather larger on average than that of modern humans. They used fire.

4. The oldest known remains of Homo sapiens have been found in Africa and are dated at around 180 000 years ago. Some authorities suggest that the species was in existence long before that time.

5. Opinions differ on when Homo sapiens first moved into Australia. Some experts say 45 000 years ago; others say 65 000 years ago. It has even been suggested that people were here 176 000 years ago.

6. Homo sapiens moved into Europe around 35 000 ears ago, displacing the Neanderthals.

7. H. erectus apparently continued to exist in South-east Asia (Java in particular) until 50 000, or perhaps 25 000, years ago

8. There is much uncertainty about the age of ancient rock art around the world. However, some rock art in Europe is believed to date back 30 000 years. Some rock art in northern Australia is believed by some authorities to be at least 17 000 years old.

9. Different groups of people started farming independently in at least three regions of the world: south-western Asia, south-eastern Asia and Middle America. The earliest evidence of agriculture based on the cultivation of seeds, notably wheat and barley and the domestication of goats and sheep dates back to about 12,000 years ago, and is found in high country in a broad area known today as the Fertile Crescent, extending eastwards from Greece to the south of the Caspian Sea.

10. By around 9000 years ago some farms in the south-western corner of Asia and the south-eastern corner of Europe were producing a surplus. The existence of this surplus made it possible for fairly large clusters of people, consisting sometimes of several thousand individuals, to aggregate together in townships, many of them playing little part in food production.