The Fossil Record Pertaining to Hominids

    The oldest fossil material of the Hominidae is dated at 4.4 million years old. Researchers are discovering new fossil material at an accelerated pace and it is anticipated that new, older hominid fossils shall be soon found.

The fossil record is never as explicit as one would hope.  The fossil record for early hominids is very fragmentary.  Consequently, it is inferences and predictions which must fill in the gaps.

    However, the hominid fossil record is no different to the records of any other group.  Nevertheless, it is true that the hominid fossil record has provided undeniable evidence of the general and one-directional trends in many hominid characters.