Have you ever wondered how tall our early human ancestors were tens of thousands of years ago? If you’re looking for a quick answer, here it is: based on fossil evidence, humans living 100,000 years ago were on average between 5 and 5 1/2 feet tall for males, and between 4 1/2 and 5 feet tall for females.
In this comprehensive article, we’ll dive deep into the fascinating topic of human height in the late Pleistocene era. We’ll review the fossil record to see what it tells us about body proportions of early Homo sapiens.
We’ll also look at environmental and lifestyle factors that influenced height at that time. Finally, we’ll compare the stature of humans 100,000 years ago to height today to see how we’ve changed. Let’s get started on this anthropological journey into our deep past!
Fossil Evidence for Human Height 100,000 Years Ago
Skeletal Remains from Africa and Eurasia
Studies of skeletal remains from Africa and Eurasia provide insights into the stature of early modern humans, Homo sapiens, around 100,000 years ago during the Middle Paleolithic period. Analysis of leg and arm bone lengths allows reasonably accurate estimates of height.
Remarkable Lower Paleolithic skeletons were uncovered at the Jebel Irhoud site in Morocco, dated to around 315,000 years ago. These early Homo sapiens were estimated to have an average height of around 5′ 6″ (1.68m) based on thighbone lengths.
Similarly, analysis of a relatively complete Homo sapiens skeleton from Tanzania’s Eyasi basin, dated to around 120,000 to 140,000 years old, revealed an estimated stature of 5′ 9″ (1.75m) for this individual.
Moving forward in time closer to 100,000 years ago, scattered postcranial remains have been found across Africa and western Eurasia. While many are fragmentary, they provide enough evidence about bone lengths to enable reasonable height estimates.
Thus, based on this fossil evidence, Early and Middle Paleolithic Homo sapiens living around 100,000 years ago had an average height pretty similar to modern populations. However, there was greater diversity in stature than today.
Reconstruction of Body Size and Proportions
In addition to estimates of height from bone lengths, we can gain insights into weight, body mass, and proportions of early Homo sapiens based on skeletal analyses and reconstruction techniques.
Applying mathematical models to skeletal evidence, one recent study suggested Middle Pleistocene humans (700,000 to 130,000 years ago) had more variation in body sizes and proportions compared to modern humans. Researchers found early Homo sapiens had:
| 20% lower body mass | More diversity in height/weight ratios |
| More diversity in limb/torso proportions | Greater sexual size dimorphism |
These variations decreased over time. By around 40,000 to 50,000 years ago, skeletal remains showed body size uniformity similar to present populations. Scientists think this shift was driven by cultural and behavioral changes.
Environmental Influences on Stature
Climate Effects on Growth
Climate and geography have an important influence on human stature. Groups that live in colder climates tend to be taller on average than groups in warmer climates. For example, native populations in Europe, East Asia, and North America tend to be taller than groups from tropical regions like Central Africa and Southeast Asia.
There are a few reasons why colder climates correlate with greater height:
- Colder temperatures may stimulate growth hormone production and metabolism.
- Populations in colder climates likely adapted to preserve heat better with a larger body mass and less surface area relative to volume.
- Lower temperatures reduce communicable disease loads that can impair childhood growth.
Even within a region, studies find that populations at higher latitudes or altitudes tend to be taller. The effects of climate on stature appear most pronounced during developmental years. This indicates climate affects growth potential during childhood and adolescence.
Foraging Lifestyle
The hunter-gatherer lifestyle of Paleolithic humans also shaped their physical stature. Groups that obtained the majority of calories through foraging wild foods tended to be taller than later farming populations.
For example, the average male height of early Upper Paleolithic Europeans was about 5’10”, while Neolithic farmers were around 5’5″.
Some reasons for this difference include:
- Hunter-gatherer diets provided more variety and higher quality nutrition.
- Mobile lifestyles and low population density reduced communicable diseases.
- Lower fertility rates reduced competition among siblings for resources.
The more sedentary lifestyles, reliance on grains, and higher population densities of agricultural groups likely contributed to their shorter statures compared to foraging populations. Humans today are taller than at any time in history, largely thanks to modern advances in nutrition, medicine, and sanitation.
Comparison to Modern Human Height
Trend Toward Greater Stature Over Time
Modern humans have grown taller over time, a trend that began around 100,000 years ago. Studies of ancient skeletons show that Paleolithic humans from 30,000 years ago were on average 5′ 9″ for males and 5′ 5″ for females.
This is quite short compared to today’s average heights of 5′ 10″ for American males and 5′ 4″ for females.
Interestingly, after the Paleolithic era, heights declined, possibly due to changes in diet and lifestyle. It was not until the mid-19th century, with improved nutrition and healthcare, that average heights began to increase again.
According to anthropologist John Komlos, American men in the late 18th century averaged 5’7” – over 5 inches shorter than today’s average.
While genetics plays a role, scientists largely believe improved childhood health and nutrition over the past century, along with reduced physical labor starting at young ages, has enabled humans to grow to their full height potential.
If this trend continues, humans may become even taller on average in the future.
Regional Variation in Height Today
Although heights have increased overall, significant variation exists among modern populations. Northern and Central Europeans tend to be the tallest, with men averaging 5’11” – 6’1”. For example, the average for Dutch men is a towering 6’1”. This is likely related to plentiful childhood nutrition.
In contrast, the shortest populations today are Asian and Latin American, at 5’4” – 5’7” for men.
Interestingly, some nations have seen rapid gains. According to a 2016 study, average South Korean men have gained over 8 inches since 1905, now averaging 5’9”. And due to quickly improving health conditions, experts predict the average Chinese height will soon match the South Korean average.
However, large inequality still exists within countries as well, as socioeconomic status greatly impacts factors like childhood nutrition.
While genetics plays a partial role in this regional variation, experts affirm that adequate healthcare, nutrition, and living standards enable populations to attain their maximum biological potential for height.
This underscores the significance of societal-level interventions for human development outcomes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, by examining skeletal remains and making reasonable inferences about their life circumstances, we can estimate that humans living 100,000 years ago were on the shorter side by today’s standards. Males averaged 5-5.5 feet and females 4.5-5 feet tall.
Environmental factors, like colder climate and a hunting and gathering lifestyle, imposed some limits on growth. Over time, as living conditions improved, the human species has trended taller. But even today, height varies across populations.
By understanding the heights of our ancestors, we gain perspective on our species’ evolution and adaptation over thousands of generations.
