Walking with Cavemen (documentaire)

[CXT]

Walking with Cavemen

Part 1: First Ancestors

3.5 million years B.C. - East Africa
In the first episode, we see Australopithecus afarensis, specifically Lucy and her relatives. The show follows the tribe of apemen as the have internal conflicts following the death of the alpha male, and eventually an attack by a rival troupe.

[1/3] (9:16), [2/3] (9:43), [3/3] (10:13)

Part 2: Blood Brothers

2 million years B.C. - East Africa
The second episode then leaps forward to a time when Paranthropus boisei, Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis co-exist. H. habilis is depicted as an intelligent omnivore that is more adaptable than its herbivorous neighbours, being able to eat tall grasses in difficult times. It only briefly shows the H. rudolfensis, remarking that albeit they are taller, they are very similar to the H. habilis.

[1/3] (9:53), [2/3] (10:04), [3/3] (9:13)

Part 3: Savage Family

1.5 million years B.C. - Africa and Asia
In the third episode, Homo ergaster is depicted as the first creature to master the art of tracking, and Homo erectus is shown spreading into Asia and encountering the enormous herbivoric Gigantopithecus. Some paleanthropologists do not recognize H. ergaster and H. erectus as separate species.

[1/3] (10:02), [2/3] (9:49), [3/3] (9:25)

Part 4: The Survivors

500 thousand, 200 thousand and 140 thousand years B.C. - Europe
In the fourth episode we leap forward to a time when Homo heidelbergensis is living in Britain. H. Heidelbergensis is depicted as intelligent and sensitive but lacking in the ability to comprehend an afterlife. Next, we see Homo neanderthalensis hunting mammoths during the Ice Age, and learn that they are intelligent but lack the imagination of modern humans. Finally, we see modern Homo sapiens (represented by Bushmen) in Africa, and glimpse the cave painters of Europe. Some paleanthropologists believe the African H. heidelbergensis is merely an archaic form of modern humans. Also whether H. neanderthalensis are actually a sub-species of Homo sapiens is also controversial among paleanthropologists.

[1/3] (10:09), [2/3] (9:59), [3/3] (9:12)