Prehistoric Human Migration

Angus Chu and Pietro F. Peretto

Chapter 3 in Human Origins and Evolution in a Malthusian Economy, 2025, pp 17-26 from World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

Abstract: The journey of our genus Homo is a story of migration. Homo habilis emerged in Africa as early as 2.8 million years ago. Some evidence suggests that Homo habilis evolved into Homo erectus in Africa, who then migrated out of Africa, whereas some evidence suggests that Homo habilis evolved into Homo erectus in Asia, who then migrated back into Africa. Homo sapiens also undertook multiple waves of migration into and out of Africa. Ni et al. (2021) estimate the direction of these “dispersals” and find about 40% of dispersals from Africa and 22% into Africa. These prehistoric migrations of our ancestors shape the world that we live in today. So, an important question arises: Why did prehistoric humans migrate?…

Keywords: Human Origins; Human Evolution; Malthusian Growth Theory; Natural Selection; Human Brain Size Evolution; Prehistoric Human Migration; Migration Out of Africa; Extinction of Archaic Humans; Neolithic Revolution; Political Fragmentation and Unification; Industrial Revolution; Technological Progress; Innovation; Education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D64 J11 N10 O10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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