Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis: History and Characteristics
Early humans are humans who lived in prehistoric times, where the way of survival was still very simple and depended on nature. In Indonesia, early humans are divided into 3 parts, namely Meganthropus Paleojavanicus, Pithecanthropus (Pithecanthropus Erectus, Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis, and Pithecanthropus Soloensis), and Homo.
Well, in this review, we will describe the history of Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis and its characteristics. Come on, see the review below!
History of Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis
Etymologically, the term Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis comes from Latin, namely phithecos meaning monkey, anthropus meaning human, and mojokertensis meaning the place where ancient human fossils were found, namely in the Mojokerto area.
So, Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis is an ancient human from Mojokerto, East Java.
This fossil from the ancient human Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis was discovered in 1936-1941 by Gustav Heinrich Ralph Von Koenigswald in Mojokerto, who identified that the fossil found at that time was still a toddler, which was around 5-6 years old.
The way of life of Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis is nomadic or moving from one place to another by depending on something that exists in nature. By moving from place to place, they will be faster to find the food they are looking for.
Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis can’t understand how to cook, so they eat game that is still raw. As for most of them looking for food along the valley or around the river.
The tools or cultural products made by them for hunting are hand chisels, flake tools, hand axes, perimbas axes, penetak axes, and bone tools used for skinning the hunted animals.
This Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis lives in groups of 4-15 individuals side by side with one leader. The leader of this group has an older age and male gender who is in charge of directing the location of the next residence.
Characteristics of Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis
In Indonesia, many human fossil skeletons have been found. This proves that millions of years ago many ancient humans had lived in this country.
Because seen from its tropical area, rich in natural resources, Indonesia became a very suitable place for early humans, one of which is the Pithecanthropus species, especially Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis.
Pithecanthropus is the oldest type of early humans when compared to the genus Homo, its fossils are also the most widely found in Indonesia.
When viewed in terms of head contours and body shape, the type of early human Pithecanthropus is very different from Homo.
The characteristic feature of Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis is that its body stature is similar to that of an ape with a wide nose.
For more details, the following are the characteristics of Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis, namely:
- Can stand up straight
- Have a strong and sturdy body
- Have a height between 165-180 cm
- Has a wide nose
- Protruding cheekbones
- Has a prominent forehead, but does not protrude on the front. While the forehead protrudes back
- Don’t have a chin
- Has a brain volume capacity between 750-1300 cc
- Have small neck muscles
- Have strong molars (chewing)
- Have a strong jaw
- Has a thick skull with a protruding shape
- Live in groups.
Thus a review of the history of Pithecanthropus Mojokertensis and its characteristics. May be useful.
