The earliest human-like species in the world was Homo erectus who arose approximately 1.9 million years ago in Africa. He spread to Asia and Europe and existed until about 143,00 years ago. He had a similar bone structure to modern man (Homo sapiens). Israel was important in this story in that it provided a land bridge from Africa through the Rift Valley, and the earliest sites of Homo erectus outside of Africa are found in this country. Israel also provides the earliest examples of the controlled use of fire, and the use of stone tools, especially the teardrop or pear-shaped hand axe by Homo erectus.

Neanderthal man probably arose from Homo erectus and lived in Europe and parts of Asia from about 400,000 years ago to some 40,000 years ago. Israel appears to be the southern-most part in the world reached by Neanderthal man.

Homo sapiens is modern man and he emerged in Africa, possibly from Homo erectus, and eventually spread throughout the world. The finding of Homo sapiens here provides early evidence of his migration outside of Africa. An interesting question is how it was that homo sapiens displaced Neanderthal man. He did have superior intelligence and could have killed him off. However, of considerable interest was the finding of burial of Neanderthals in the Tabun Cave and Homo sapiens in the most eastern Skhul Cave, indicating that they coexisted some 100,000 years ago.

Outside the cave are the ruins of the Natufian culture which existed some 12,000 years ago and lasted for about 4,000 years. This culture marks the transition from a purely hunter-gatherer existence to a settled or semi-sedentary way of life. These people had semi-permanent and even permanent habitation. There was early experimentation with agriculture, with wild wheat and barley, and the collecting of nuts and legumes. They may have begun some animal domestication, particularly of dogs. They showed artistic expression with bone and stone carvings and a shell necklace. They also had cemeteries. Niches can be seen in a stone wall. Their function is unknown, but they may indicate some ritual function and even a belief in an afterlife.

This is not shown here, but this culture was followed by the Neolithic culture and the Neolithic Revolution when animal and plant domestication spread throughout the world.

Where do the biblical Adam and Eve fit into this? After being ejected from the Garden of Eden they became agriculturalists and are therefore products of the Neolithic Revolution. The Garden of Eden story has to be taken allegorically, since Adam and Eve were not primitive hominis such as Homo erectus who did not engage in any agriculture.