Ape-Man

Series exploring the origins of human life, from African beginnings to Ice Age artists.

1. E1. Human

   Feb 22, 2000 · 50m

   Ice Age cave paintings could provide clues to our past. Their meaning is discovered by using research into hallucination, Namibian bushmen's dance and South African rock art.

2. E2. First Born

   Feb 29, 2000 · 50m

   Did our ancestors the australopithecines or 'upright apes', flourish because of the abandonment of vegetarianism?

3. E3. Body

   Mar 7, 2000 · 50m

   The discovery of a skeleton, nicknamed Nariokotome Boy, confirmed that 'ape-man' lived about one and a half million years ago, and the 'missing link' moved from theory to fact.

4. E4. Love

   Mar 14, 2000 · 50m

   For years, primitive hominids roamed Africa and Asia. Archaeological discoveries have shown how Europe was colonised and uncovered the moment when human feelings of friendship, trust and love began.

5. E5. Exodus

   Mar 21, 2000 · 50m

   A look at the daily lives of the first Homo sapiens found at cave sites on the southern coast of Africa. Over generations these beach dwellers migrated to Australia, the Far East and finally Europe.

6. E6. Contact

   Mar 28, 2000 · 50m

   For 200,000 years the Neanderthals lived unchallenged in Europe. But 30,000 years ago climate change and the arrival of modern humans from the east forced them to adapt or die.