Java Man
Java Man, an early form of human whose remains have been found on the island of Java. The first remains of Java Man (a piece of jawbone and skull, and a complete upper leg bone) were found by Eugene Dubois, a Dutch paleontologist, in 1891. A complete skull and other bones were found during 1936–39. Many more remains have been found since. Most scientists date these remains from about 600,000 years to 1 million years ago. Java Man was about 5–1/2 feet (1.7 m) tall and walked erect. Java Man had prominent brow ridges, a retreating forehead, and powerful jaws. Brain size was about three-fourths that of modern humans.
Dubois gave Java Man the scientific name Pithecanthropus erectus, meaning “erect ape-man.” Paleontologists in the early 1950's abandoned Dubois's classification and grouped Java Man with Peking Man and several other prehistoric humans into a newly designated species called Homo erectus.