Homo erectus lived in eastern Africa, central Africa and Asia (China in particular) from 1.8 m.y.a. to about 200,000 y.a. The first discovery of Homo erectus was made in October of 1891, in the Solo River area of Java., by Eugene Dubois. Other finds in Java such as the site of Modjoketo is estimated as being 1.8 m.y.a. Where as the Sangrian site dates its Homo erectus finds at 1.6 m.y.a. The Ngandon site in Java has also been fruitful, producing specimens with dates ranging from 50,000 to 25,000 y.a.

  Substantial finds have also been made in China. At Peking (Beijing) and the Chenjiawo site, fossils were dated to 650,000 y.a. In 1964 at a site called Gongwanglng a partial cranium was found dated to 1.15 m.y.a.; this is the oldest fossil found in China. Africa has also yielded numerous sites containing Homo erectus. Olduvai Gorge, which was dated to 1.4 m.y.a. and East Turkana, dating to 1.8 m.y.a. The most substantial find was in West Turkana at Nariokotome, where in 1985 an almost complete Homo erectus skeleton was found dating to 1.6 m.y.a.