Humans evolved in Africa and were confined to that continent for much of their early history. Just what triggered the first dispersals from Africa is poorly understood, but it is clear that people began to colonize Eurasia shortly after 2 million years ago (Ma). These migrants were probably representatives of Homo erectus (sometimes called H. ergaster). This extinct species was the first to attain a body size (stature) equal to that of modern humans, although the brain remained low in volume and thus smaller relative to body size than our own. Archeological traces left by these people have been recovered from the Jordan Valley in Israel and the Georgian Caucasus. Such early occupations were likely transitory and did not result in permanent settlements. However, groups of H. erectus were able to travel across southern Asia to the Far East, where they established themselves in both Java and China by about 1.6 Ma.