Multiregionalism

Multiregionalism, or the multiregional evolution hypothesis, is a model of human origins that argues modern Homo sapiens arose from parallel regional populations of archaic humans—primarily Homo erectus and later Homo heidelbergensis—across Africa, Europe, and Asia, with ongoing gene flow linking populations. In this view, modern human morphological traits emerged and were refined in multiple regions rather than in a single geographic origin, and regional continuity persisted through the late Pleistocene.

Origins and development: The idea has roots in Franz Weidenreich’s regional continuity concepts from the mid-20th century and was later formulated and popularized in its contemporary form by Milford H. Wolpoff and colleagues in the 1980s. Proponents emphasize migration and interbreeding among regional populations as mechanisms to produce the global species Homo sapiens.

Evidence and debate: Supporters point to fossil records showing regional variation and features that appear retained over time in different areas. Critics highlight genetic data, including mitochondrial DNA, Y chromosomes, and genome-wide analyses, that overwhelmingly support a primarily African origin for modern humans with dispersals and limited admixture into other regions. The dominant consensus in recent decades has favored an Out of Africa model with recent African origin, accompanied by some interbreeding with archaic populations. Nevertheless, multiregional ideas continue to be discussed as a way to conceptualize regional continuity and the role of gene flow in human evolution.

Current status: Multiregionalism is generally regarded as a minority or historical hypothesis within mainstream paleoanthropology. It has influenced discussions of regional variation and gene flow, and some hybrid or leaky replacement models incorporate elements of regional continuity alongside a broader African origin.