An Asian genesis for our ancestors
In the dry, hilly landscape of central Myanmar lies the Pondaung Formation, a series of geological layers composed of red earth and grey sandstone. These unassuming outcrops hold fossils that question the very roots of our primate family tree. For decades, the consensus was that anthropoids—the group including monkeys, apes, and humans—arose in Africa. The discoveries in the Pondaung Formation, however, provide strong evidence for an Asian origin. The fossils date to the late middle Eocene, approximately 37 to 40 million years ago, predating many of the earliest African anthropoid finds.
The environment at that time was vastly different from today's dry zone. It was a lush tropical floodplain with meandering rivers, a habitat that supported a diverse array of life. The primate fossils found here belong to at least six distinct forms, grouped into two main families: the Eosimiidae and the Amphipithecidae. The first of these primates, named Pondaungia cotteri and Amphipithecus mogaungensis, were identified from fragments found as early as the 1920s. Subsequent expeditions have uncovered a wealth of new material, including more complete jaws and teeth, which allow for a more detailed picture of these ancient animals. One important find, a fossil talus (ankle bone), shows features typical of anthropoids and indicates a style of movement known as arboreal quadrupedalism—walking on all fours in the trees.