TIME

Dawn of Humanity

≈ 7–6 million years ago

Cast of the Toumaï cranium, an ape-like skull with a heavy brow ridge, on a black background.

Early HumanityDawn of Humanity

The earliest of our lineage.

The earliest known members of the human lineage appeared in Africa. Their fossils give our first clues about the ancestors of modern humans.

Toumaï from Chad may be the earliest hominin, with Orrorin and Ardipithecus soon after. Which are direct ancestors is debated.

7–6 million years ago, placed on the scale of its era on a line leading toward now.

Era
Early Humanity
Period
≈ 7–6 million years ago
Edition
1/1
Status
Not Released
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Background artwork

Cinematic background showing a lakeside savanna at sunrise in Africa. An illustration generated with an AI image tool for TIME. It is an artistic depiction, not a photograph or a record of the moment. No individual is depicted.