Page "Homo heidelbergensis" Paragraph 2

Both H. antecessor and H. heidelbergensis are likely to be descended from the morphologically very similar Homo ergaster from Africa.

But because H. heidelbergensis had a larger brain-case — with a typical cranial volume of 1100 – 1400 cm³ overlapping the 1350 cm³ average of modern humans — and had more advanced tools and behavior, it has been given a separate species classification.

The species was tall, 1. 8 m ( 6. 0 ft ) on average, and more muscular than modern humans.

Males may have weighed 100 kg ( 220 lb ).

According to Professor Lee R. Berger of the University of Witwatersrand, numerous fossil bones indicate some populations of Heidelbergensis were " giants " routinely over 2. 13 m ( 7 ft ) tall and inhabited South Africa between 500, 000 and 300, 000 years ago.