Paper 61
The Mammalian Era on Urantia
6. Primitive Man in the Ice Age
61:6.1The great event of this glacial period was the evolution of primitive man. Slightly to the west of India, on land now under water and among the offspring of Asiatic migrants of the older North American lemur types, the dawn mammals suddenly appeared. These small animals walked mostly on their hind legs, and they possessed large brains in proportion to their size and in comparison with the brains of other animals. In the seventieth generation of this order of life a new and higher group of animals suddenly differentiated. These new mid-mammals—almost twice the size and height of their ancestors and possessing proportionately increased brain power—had only well established themselves when the Primates, the third vital mutation, suddenly appeared. (At this same time, a retrograde development within the mid-mammal stock gave origin to the simian ancestry; and from that day to this the human branch has gone forward by progressive evolution, while the simian tribes have remained stationary or have actually retrogressed.)
- brains › early mammals possessed large b. in comparison to body size
- dawn mammals › gave rise to mid-mammals after 70 generations
- dawn mammals › possessed large brains; walked mostly on hind feet
- dawn mammals › sudden appearance 1 million years ago
- evolution › biologic evolution › theory of biologic evolution › subject to sudden changes
- genetics › historically › 70 generations between dawn mammals and mid-mammals
- India › birthplace of man; Andon and Fonta born in
- lemurs › ancestors of dawn mammals
- mid-mammals › ancestors of Primates, simians
- mid-mammals › sudden appearance from dawn mammals
- Primates › descendants of mid-mammals; immediate ancestors of humans
- simians › retarded mid-mammals were ancestors; man not descended from
61:6.21,000,000 years ago Urantia was registered as an inhabited world. A mutation within the stock of the progressing Primates suddenly produced two primitive human beings, the actual ancestors of mankind.
61:6.3This event occurred at about the time of the beginning of the third glacial advance; thus it may be seen that your early ancestors were born and bred in a stimulating, invigorating, and difficult environment. And the sole survivors of these Urantia aborigines, the Eskimos, even now prefer to dwell in frigid northern climes.
- Andon and Fonta › Eskimos are sole unmixed survivors of
- Andon and Fonta › lived at beginning of 3rd ice age, a difficult, invigorating environment
- Andonites › physical characteristics › Lapps and Eskimos nearest to aboriginal Andonic type
- difficulties › benefits of difficulties › Andon and Fonta bred in difficult environment
- Eskimos › origin › sole survivors of Urantia aborigines; Andonites resembled
- ice ages › hardy humans fostered by rigors of
61:6.4Human beings were not present in the Western Hemisphere until near the close of the ice age. But during the interglacial epochs they passed westward around the Mediterranean and soon overran the continent of Europe. In the caves of western Europe may be found human bones mingled with the remains of both tropic and arctic animals, testifying that man lived in these regions throughout the later epochs of the advancing and retreating glaciers.