The African origin of modern humans, and all hominins (including Homo erectus and other Eurasian hominins) implies that they originated there, descending from the great apes of that continent (i.e. Chimpanzees) and later migrated out of Africa into the Old World, and much more recently, via Berigia, into the Americas.
But, which was the course the ancient hominins that led to erectus, the later ones leading to Neanderthals and Denisovans, and finally those leading to us, took to move out of Africa? Which was the route?
In fact there is no certainty on this matter, and more than one route have been proposed for the Out Of Africa migration. These routes are shown below, in a map of Africa and the closest points that separate it from Eurasia. These are, from west to east, Gibraltar, the Strait of Sicily, Sinai, and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
These routes were proposed by anthropologists because they are feasible. It is easier to cross 10 km of water via Gibraltar, where you can see the European coast from Morocco in North Africa than setting sail from Egypt northwards into an open sea without knowing what lies ahead. This can be said about the other two crossings (Straits of Sicily and Bab-el-Mandeb), where the stepping stones across the Red Sea and the Mediterranean are visible from the coast of Africa.
Feasibility also implies that the water can be navigated. In fact, Homo erectus crossed open stretches of sea 800,000 years ago in Indonesia, and also to reach Crete. This suggests that they had seafaring abilities.
Another factor is that animals seem to have been able to negotiate with these sea crossings, so one would expect humans could do the same.
The final argument is the similarity, or continuity of certain stone knapping technologies on both sides of the gap, suggesting a population bridging the gap during a migration. This is something seen in the Levant, where archaics and even modern humans are found in Israel (Levant).
Two way routes
The fact that they were used to exit Africa (the articles I cite are all formal ones, and they uphold the African origin of hominins and modern humans) does not mean they were used in the opposite direction, for "Into Africa" migrations.
Neanderthal alleles have been found in Africa, sourced from Eurasia; and it is possible that Homo erectus originated in Eurasia and migrated into Africa, or that modern humans did the same, peopling Africa. It is possible that the common ancestor of chimpanzees, gorillas, and all homo species originated in Eurasia.
Over the next posts, I will describe each of these corridors, Gibraltar, Strait of Sicily, Sinai, and Bab-el-Mandeb.
Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia Copyright 2009-2026 by Austin Whittall ©
