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{{Era|Forerunner}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{New Content}}
{{disambig header|the original ancient humans with advanced civilization|the ancient humans regressed to hunter-gatherers|Erde-Tyrene civilization}}
By approximately [[150,000 BCE]], [[human]]ity had achieved a considerable level of technological sophistication, achieving interstellar travel and colonizing planets along the [[Orion Arm]] of the [[Milky Way|Milky Way Galaxy]].
{{Affiliation infobox
|image=[[File:HM-AncientHumans.png|300px]]{{clear}}Ancient humans Yprin and Forthencho.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/db05ce78845f4120b062c50816008e5d/topics/nitpick-about-mythos-and-ancient-humans/973f5cb0-bbde-49a9-8ab9-5e7590bce6fc/posts?page=2#post24 '''Halo Waypoint''' '':Confirmation of Yprin in Mythos'']</ref>
|section1-title=Empire overview
|type=Interstellar empire
|founder=
|main=[[Charum Hakkor]]
|anthem=
|techlevel=Tier 1
|formed=c. [[150,000 BCE]]
|dissolved=[[106,445 BCE]]
|affiliation=
}}
{{Quote|Once, we were one great race, united in power and concerted in our goals...|[[Forthencho]]<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 99''</ref>}}
The '''Ancestors'''{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=10-11}}{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/the-new-halo-encyclopedia-is-out-today|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The New Halo Encyclopedia is Out Today|D=11|M=03|Y=2023}} or '''ancient humanity''',<ref name="wp hum">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/humans '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Humans'']</ref><ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-sustained-glass '''Canon Fodder''': ''Sustained Glass'']</ref> were a prehistoric, technologically advanced civilization of the [[human]] species that rose to preeminence in the [[Milky Way|Milky Way galaxy]] by approximately [[150,000 BCE]]. Having first achieved interstellar travel over a million years earlier and colonized planets across the [[Orion Arm]] toward the galactic border, humans became a major political and military power rivaling the [[Forerunner]]s; indeed, the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]] considered them the second greatest military power and the latest challenge to Forerunner influence. Over a hundred thousand years later, the [[Librarian]] would tell [[John-117]] that they were the greatest threat ever faced by the Forerunners.{{Ref/Reuse|reclaimer}} Members of the most predominant human species of this era (retroactively known as "ancient humans" and scientifically designated ''' ''archeohomina'' '''<ref name=wf>''[[Halo: Warfleet]]'', ''page 14''</ref>) were on average larger, stronger, and significantly more intelligent than modern humans.{{Ref/Reuse|wp hum}} This civilization [[Human-San'Shyuum alliance|allied]] with the contemporary [[San'Shyuum]] and later [[Human-Forerunner war|waged war]] against the [[Flood]], only to come into conflict with the Forerunners; they ultimately suffered a disastrous defeat against the Forerunners and were subsequently regressed into hunter-gatherers, [[Erde-Tyrene civilization|confined to their ancient homeworld]].


==History==
==History==
Having evolved and achieved civilization on [[Earth]], then known as "Erde-Tyrene", humanity was still at this point composed of many species of the [[Wikipedia:Homo|human genus]]. Around [[150,000 BCE]], humanity moved their civilization outward along the Orion Arm, presumably to flee [[Forerunner]] control.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 20''</ref> Later, they made the former [[Precursor]] world [[Charum Hakkor]] their capital to be close to one of the greatest collections of Precursor structures.<ref name="c112">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref> On Charum Hakkor, they also encountered an ancient  being, known as [[the Timeless One]], held prisoner in a [[stasis capsule]]. Human researchers found a way to communicate with this entity, asking for answers to various scientific or metaphysical questions, but received no useful responses.<ref name="c271">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 271''</ref> Humanity also formed an [[Human-San 'Shyuum alliance|an alliance]] with the [[San 'Shyuum]] species in order to gain access to their advanced technology.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 113''</ref> At this point, humanity's technological advancement rivaled that of the [[Forerunner]]s.<ref name="c164">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 164''</ref>
===Origin and rise===
[[File:Enc22 AncestorCity.png|thumb|250px|An Ancestor city.]][[File:HM-CharumHakkor.png|thumb|300px|left|A city on Charum Hakkor, the capital of the Ancestor empire.]]
Having presumably evolved and achieved civilization on [[Earth]], originally known as "Erda" or "Erde-Tyrene",<ref name="prim237">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 237-238''</ref> humanity first became a spacefaring civilization at some point prior to [[1,100,000 BCE]]. These early humans settled on numerous worlds along the galactic margin; these regions would be targeted by the [[Flood]]'s initial assault over a million years later.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 67-68''</ref> Early in their history, long before encountering the [[Forerunner]]s, humanity underwent a series of technological dark ages, which left their populations scattered across many worlds and resulted in the loss of most of their records, including the knowledge of Earth being their potential original homeworld. It was not until much later when scientists led by [[Yprin Yprikushma]] traced humanity's potential origin to Earth.{{Ref/Reuse|prim237}} Around [[150,000 BCE]] humanity moved their civilization outward along the [[Orion Arm]], possibly to flee Forerunner control.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 20''</ref> They first settled in and built up population centers in two star systems dozens of lightyears away from Sol before stringing outposts together across nearly thirty thousand lightyears toward the galactic margin of the galaxy.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 42''</ref>


This civilization encountered the [[Flood]] in approximately [[110,000 BCE]], and after discovering the parasite's true nature, [[Human-Flood war|went to war against it]]. The also inquired the captive on Charum Hakkor about the Flood; the answers they received were so traumatizing many committed suicide.<ref name="c271"/> Eventually, humanity sacrificed a third of their total population, implanting them with destructive, artificially programmed genes used to target the Flood on a genetic level. After losing many planets to the Flood, humanity desperately invaded a minor sector of the Forerunners' [[Ecumene|domain]]. The Forerunners responded violently to this aggression and [[Human-Forerunner wars|waged war]] with the humans and their San 'Shyuum allies. Stretched thin due to fighting two wars at once, the humans were finally driven to their capital Charum Hakkor. After [[Charum Hakkor campaign|holding off for fifty years]], they were defeated at the hands of the Forerunners, led by [[the Didact]]. However, due to humanity's actions, the Flood was driven off the galaxy for nearly ten thousand years.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 267-272''</ref>
After recovering from their dark ages, humanity made the former [[Precursor]] world [[Charum Hakkor]] their capital, to be close to one of the greatest collections of Precursor structures.<ref name="c112">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref> Humanity also formed [[Human-San'Shyuum alliance|an alliance]] with the [[San'Shyuum]] species in order to gain access to their advanced technology.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 113''</ref> At their height, humanity's technological advancement nearly rivaled that of the Forerunners.<ref name="c164">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 164''</ref>


As punishment, nearly all of humanity was wiped out and the remnants of their civilization and technology dismantled, while humans themselves subjected to biological reduction.<ref name="c127">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 127''</ref><ref name="c25">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 25''</ref> The remnants of the human species were exiled to Earth, where they were overseen by [[the Librarian]]; while many Forerunners wanted to see humanity wiped out, the Librarian had always been considered their greatest protector.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 77''</ref> With the assistance of the Librarian and a [[geas]] she had imprinted them with, over twenty of their ancient species made recovery and formed separate populations on Earth,<ref name="c127"/> including the [[Neanderthal|k'ta''manune'']], [[B'ashamanune|b'asha''manune'']], [[Florian|ha''manune'']] and [[Chamanune|cha''manune'']].<ref name="c25"/> This meddling was noted to have considerably distorted Earth's natural fossil records.<ref name="c127"/>
===War===
{{Main|Human-Forerunner wars}}
[[File:H4-Terminal-CharumHakkor-Battle.jpg|thumb|250px|Human and Forerunner forces battle on [[Charum Hakkor]].]]
This civilization encountered the [[Flood]] by [[108,764 BCE]] at the latest and went to war against the parasite after discovering its true nature. After losing many planets to the Flood, humanity desperately invaded a minor sector of the Forerunners' [[ecumene]], ostensibly in an attempt to seize new territory to replace the worlds they had lost, though at least some instances of this seeming aggression were in fact humanity sterilizing worlds where Flood infestation had already taken hold. Nevertheless, the Forerunners responded violently to this aggression and [[Human-Forerunner wars|waged war]] with the humans and their San'Shyuum allies. The resulting conflicts lasted for a thousand years.<ref name="reclaimer">'''[[Halo 4]]''', campaign level ''[[Reclaimer (level)|Reclaimer]]''</ref>


The Forerunner victory proved disastrous for the galaxy as the humans destroyed all their research data and physical evidence concerning the Flood, including their cure to stop the Flood. [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]] speculated it may have been humanity's last act of revenge to leave the Forerunners unprepared to face the incoming threat that led to the firing of the [[Halo Array]].
In 107,564 BCE, forty years before the last conflict between humanity and the Forerunners, a human expeditionary group encountered an ancient being held in hibernation on a planet near the galaxy's edges. Under [[Yprin Yprikushma]]'s orders, this being, known as the [[Primordial]], was placed in a [[stasis capsule]] and transported to [[Charum Hakkor]] for study.{{Ref/Reuse|prim237}} Human researchers found a way to communicate with the entity, asking in vain for answers to various scientific or moral questions, receiving no useful responses.<ref name="c271">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 271''</ref> Instead, the being revealed disconcerting truths about humanity's origins; this was believed by some to have caused the demoralization of human culture and thus contributed to their defeat against the Forerunners.{{Ref/Reuse|prim237}} They also inquired the Primordial about the Flood; the answers they received were so traumatizing that many committed suicide.{{Ref/Reuse|c271}}


Forced to start again, the collective human genus tried in vain to reattain their former glory, with some human communities establishing wooden cities and steam-powered waterborne vessels nearly nine thousand years later.<ref name="c25"/><ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 86''</ref> Most humans, however, lived in [[Technological Achievement Tiers|Tier 7]] tribal communities, such as the one that was encountered by the Forerunners during the construction of [[The Artifact|the portal]] to [[Installation 00|the Ark]] in eastern [[Africa]].<ref>'''[[Halo 3: The Cradle of Life]]'''</ref> After the activation of the [[Halo Array]], the human civilization regressed once again, and would remain as Tier 7 hunter-gatherers for nearly a hundred millennia. As of the 26th century, most artifacts and records of this former civilization had been lost to time.
After a certain point, the Flood's rampage throughout human territory stopped. The Flood no longer infected humans and instead began to rapidly die out, with both humans and Forerunners sterilizing the remaining infestations.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 36-37''</ref> Based on this pattern, the Forerunners concluded that humanity had discovered a cure for the Flood: according to Forerunner records, the humans sacrificed a third of their total population, implanting them with destructive, artificially programmed genes used to target the Flood on a genetic level. In reality, however, the Flood had receded by its own volition after the sacrifice; no truly functioning cure was ever created or used by humanity,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 367''</ref> though both Forerunners and humans themselves remained under such illusion.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 53''</ref>
 
Stretched thin due to fighting two wars at once, the humans were finally driven to their capital of Charum Hakkor. After [[Battle of Charum Hakkor|holding off for fifty-three years]] they were defeated at the hands of the Forerunners, led by the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]].<ref name="c267">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''pages 267-272''</ref> Before the fall of Charum Hakkor some humans suggested they should draw out the Flood and use it against the Forerunners. However, this strategy was denied, as the human leadership chose to face defeat rather than allow the Flood to spread.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 190''</ref>
 
===Downfall===
[[File:H4 - Charum Hakkor.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Human ships burn in Charum Hakkor's orbit.]]
As punishment for defying the Forerunners, nearly all of humanity was wiped out and the remnants and technological achievements of their civilization were extirpated. Furthermore, the surviving humans were subjected to a process of biological devolution;<ref name="c127">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 127''</ref><ref name="c25">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 25''</ref> live humans were forced to consciously experience an artificially induced reversion of their evolutionary process, to the point of their bodies transforming to their ancestral forms and eventually losing intelligence.<ref name="s42">'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 42''</ref> The remnants of the human species were exiled to Earth, where they were overseen by the [[Librarian]]; while many Forerunners wanted to see humanity exterminated, the Librarian had always been considered their greatest protector.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 77''</ref> In only a thousand years, humanity recovered many of their prior forms, along with many new ones, due to the assistance of the Librarian and her ''[[geas]]'', as well as unknown factors not even the Librarian and her [[Lifeworker]]s could explain.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 45-47''</ref> Over twenty human species made recovery and formed separate populations on Earth,{{Ref/Reuse|c127}} including the [[Human|ha''manush'']], [[Neanderthal|k'ta''manush'']], [[B'ashamanune|b'asha''manush'']], and [[Florian|cha''manush'']].{{Ref/Reuse|c25}} This meddling was noted to have considerably distorted Earth's natural fossil records.{{Ref/Reuse|c127}}
 
The Forerunner victory proved disastrous for the galaxy, as the humans destroyed all their research data and physical evidence concerning the Flood, including their supposed cure. [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]] speculated it may have been humanity's last act of revenge to leave the Forerunners unprepared to face the incoming threat that led to the firing of the [[Halo Array]].{{Ref/Reuse|c267}} The last human survivors on Charum Hakkor were subjected to thorough analysis and experimentation to discover their supposed Flood immunity; eventually, their patterns were extracted by [[Composer]]s and archived in machine storage, where the human essences would be incessantly scoured for a cure for thousands of years.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 43''</ref>
 
The Librarian and Didact later learned that humanity had never developed a cure or a way to fend off the Flood. As the remnant of the [[Precursor]]s, the Flood sought to punish the Forerunners for destroying them and ensure that humanity obtained the [[Mantle]]. When the Forerunners retaliated against the humans for invading Forerunner worlds, the Flood predicted that the Forerunners would try to exterminate humanity. Of its own volition, the Flood abruptly receded from human territory, knowing that the humans would temporarily rebound and thus unknowingly deceive the Forerunners into thinking they may have developed a cure. This caused the Forerunners to restrain themselves from eradicating humanity and preserve a regressed remnant population since they needed living humans to study if their apparent Flood cure was to be found.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 259-261''</ref>
{{Clear}}
 
===Partial recovery===
{{Main|Erde-Tyrene civilization}}
[[File:ObservingArtifact.png|thumb|250px|After their once highly advanced civilization had been shattered by the Forerunners, most humans lived within [[Wikipedia:Hunter-gatherer|hunter-gatherer]] communities. The humans seen here are observing [[Portal at Voi|the portal]] to the Ark.]]
Forced to start again, the collective human genus tried in vain to reattain their former glory. Some human communities, such as the civilization built around Erde-Tyrene's largest city, [[Marontik]], established wooden cities and steam-powered waterborne vessels nearly nine thousand years later.{{Ref/Reuse|c25}}<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 86''</ref> Most humans, however, lived in [[Technological Achievement Tiers|Tier 7]] tribal communities, such as the one that was encountered by the Forerunners during the construction of [[Portal at Voi|the portal]] to [[Installation 00|the Ark]] in eastern [[Africa]].<ref>'''[[Halo 3: The Cradle of Life]]'''</ref>
 
After the activation of the [[Halo Array]], the human civilization regressed once again, and would remain Tier 7 hunter-gatherers for nearly a hundred millennia.
 
===Rediscovery===
For much of humanity's history before the mid-26th century, virtually all artifacts and records of their former civilization had been lost to time. However, in the mid-2550s, after the [[Human-Covenant War]] had ended, small but significant discoveries began to trickle in about humanity's powerful past. On [[Heian]], ruins were found resembling a wide variety of human styles, including Greco-Roman, Middle Eastern, and East Asian, with subtle Forerunner themes. The [[Department of Xenoarchaeological Studies]] at the [[University of Edinburgh]] found the obvious elements of human architecture in the structures puzzling, wondering if their builders borrowed from human architecture or the other way around.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''', ''From the Office of Dr. William Arthur Iqbal''</ref> The [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] discovered one derelict ancient human vessel at [[Site Yankee-002-G3]]. The [[Xeno-Materials Exploitation Group]] examined the artifact in [[ONI XENO-MATERIALS EXPLOITATION REPORT 15Y1198]] and assessed its tactical capabilities. Their report recommended that further analysis of the ship should be immediately assigned to [[Project ARC DREAM]] and noted that an investigation of its weaponry was already underway by a team on [[AZURE MOON]].<ref name=wf/>
 
Records of prehistoric humanity began to be encountered as well. On [[Onyx]], an artifact referred to as the [[Halo: Cryptum|Bornstellar Relation]] gave a testimony of the life of the Forerunner [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]], including the knowledge that humanity had once been a Tier 1 species.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 230''</ref> This account was complemented by the testimony of the remains of [[343 Guilty Spark]], who related to listening scientists about his life as the prehistoric human [[Chakas]].<ref name="EH">'''[[Eleventh Hour reports]]''', ''part 4''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 376-379''</ref>
 
In [[2557#July|July 2557]], the [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan-II]] [[John-117]] encountered an archived personality of the Forerunner known as the [[Librarian]] on [[Requiem]]. She revealed the times of the ancient [[human-Forerunner wars]] to the Spartan, as well as the origins of the mechanical [[Promethean]]s, ancient humans who had been the first "conscripts" into the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]]'s army during the last years of the Forerunner's [[Forerunner-Flood war|war]] against the Flood. The Librarian further revealed that she had been guiding humanity since their devolution, notably instigating the physical evolution of the select few humans who met the SPARTAN-II program's genetic requirements, as well as the creation of [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|powered armor]] and even [[Smart AI|AI]]s like [[Cortana]], in an attempt to prepare humanity from an unknown threat. The Librarian would call John "the culmination of a thousand lifetimes of planning" though she never got to tell him for what. During this conversation, the Librarian would call ancient humanity the greatest threat ever faced by the Forerunners. As a result, the recently revived Didact sought to finish their destruction with the [[Composer]]. John would later share this information with the bridge crew of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}.{{Ref/Reuse|reclaimer}} At some point, the UNSC would discover some ancient human ruins with knowledge on a dead world, and a shattered starship with a vault full of unknown materials; using technology gathered from both discoveries, the UNSC would create the [[HELLCAT-class Mjolnir]].<ref>''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', ''Hellcat armor description''</ref>
 
In late [[2558]], 343 Guilty Spark discovered that the Librarian's work on [[Bastion]] - which resembled a copy of [[Earth]], the homeworld of humanity - included studies and experimentation on ancient humanity.{{Ref/Novel|PoL|Chapter=Epilogue}}
 
===The Domain===
After being composed, [[Forthencho]] and the Ancestors were sent to the outer boundaries of the [[Domain]]. It took the Ancestors tens of thousands of years to adjust, and finally heal their souls, to remember their past and reform themselves into a complete presence within a rift in the Domain's outer boundaries where the [[Warden Eternal]] kept them out of the Domain itself. According to Forthencho, this was because being composed had kept the Ancestors from any sort of a human afterlife and instead sent them to the Forerunner one.{{Ref/Reuse|Epi22}}
 
While in the outer boundaries of the Domain, the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]] met the composed essences of Forthencho and millions of other Ancestors. After the Didact mentioned the current human race to the Ancestors, they were greatly relieved, revealing that they had not known whether or not their kind had survived. The Didact told the Ancestors everything that he knew about human history, from the firing of the [[Halo Array]] to the state of humanity as the Didact found it when he had awakened on [[Requiem]]. That humanity had miraculously survived thanks to the [[Librarian]]'s planning and was once again colonizing the stars caused a wide spectrum of emotion: grief for the enormity of their own loses, and pride for the dogged nature of humanity and the achievements made in their absence. After hearing the story and of the danger of [[Cortana]] and the [[Created]], Forthencho and his warriors agreed to ally with the Didact and the other [[Forerunner]] essences to free the Domain from Cortana's control.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Epi22|Epi|22}} The Ancestors and the Forerunners later attacked the Warden Eternal as a distraction, giving the Didact the chance to destroy the construct.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Epi25|Epi|25}}
 
Following the destruction of the Warden Eternal, the Didact invited the human essences to join the Forerunners in the halls of the Domain.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Epi26|Epi|26}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=Epi27|Epi|27}}
 
==Physiology==
[[File:H4-Terminal-Prehistoric human BridgeOfficer1.jpg|thumb|250px|This prehistoric human possessed a facial composition identical to that of a modern human.]]
While ancient humans exhibited a range of morphological variation,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 129''</ref> the ethnic group represented by [[Forthencho]] and his [[bridge]] crew were remarkably similar in appearance to modern ''Homo sapiens''. They possessed straight to wavy hair textures, thin to full lips, and an overall largely similar facial composition to their modern counterparts. <ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 236''</ref> Like modern humans, ancient humans had a range of different body types; for example, Forthencho was tall and muscular while [[Yprin Yprikushma]] had a short and stocky build.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 307''</ref> After meeting [[Chakas]], a ''Homo sapiens'', the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]] was displeased and noted that he was too much like the humans who had murdered his children and nearly destroyed his fleets while he was more pleased with the appearance of [[Riser]], a [[Florian]] and a different type of human.<ref>'''[[Halo: Cryptum]]''', ''page 82''</ref>
 
Despite the technological and biological achievements of their descendants, prehistoric humans naturally possessed more body mass and strength{{Ref/Reuse|s42}} and were on average significantly more intelligent than modern humans.{{Ref/Reuse|wp hum}} The Librarian said that, if not for their encounter with the Flood, prehistoric humanity's gene-plan could have surpassed that of even the Forerunners.<ref>'''Halo 4''', ''[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminal 3]]''</ref> After fighting against the Didact for fifty-three years, in the endgame of the human-Forerunner wars, Forthencho had acquired noticeable facial wrinkles. However, he still retained the body mass he possessed in his youth. Given the length of Forthencho's career (at least a thousand years) it can be concluded that ancient humans had much longer lifespans (a [[Bestarium|record]] made by [[343 Guilty Spark]] on Reclaimers and specifically [[John-117]] indicated that one of the physiological ailments he possesses is modern humanity's "highly truncated lifespan") than their modern descendants (whether naturally, due to advanced medical science, or a combination of the two), although their lifespans still paled in comparison to those of the Forerunners.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 234''</ref>
{{Clear}}


==Culture==
==Culture==
Little is known about human culture of this time. The humans believed to be the true inheritors of the [[Mantle]], a notion the Forerunners considered heretical.<ref name="c112"/> Regardless of the pressure on their growing populations and the Flood, humans were also said to be particularly cruel toward other species. [[Chakas]], examining the harvested memories of his ancestors imprinted to him as part of a [[geas]], discovered that they believed in "creating many souls" by massacring entire populations on worlds they invaded.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 130''</ref>
Little is known about human culture of this time. According to the [[Ur-Didact]], humanity believed themselves to be the true inheritors of the [[Mantle|Mantle of Responsibility]], a notion the Forerunners considered heretical.{{Ref/Reuse|c112}} Ironically, the Precursors had intended for humans to inherit the Mantle instead of the Forerunners.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 364''</ref> Regardless of the pressure on their growing populations and the Flood, humans were also said to be particularly cruel toward other species. [[Chakas]], examining the harvested memories of his ancestors imprinted to him as part of a ''[[geas]]'', discovered that they believed in "creating many souls", or expanding their population by conquering and claiming other worlds.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 130''</ref>  
 
The humans of this time were willing to forge relations and alliances with other sapient species as evidenced by their alliance with the San'Shyuum, who shared their disdain for the Forerunners. This bond deepened over time, with the two species co-inhabiting worlds and creating political and cultural centers along the galactic periphery.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22P26|Enc22|Page=26}}
 
In contrast to the Forerunners, their attentions were drawn to the interleaving of dimensions and weaving of exotic force rather than applications of macro-engineering. They were considered the undisputed masters of scientific synthesis, collaborating with their kind and other sapient species to exploit unique languages, outlooks, and intuitions into a greater whole and more complete understanding of universal principles, a tradition that would endure the long passage of time.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22P27|Enc22|Page=27}}


The humans, along with their San 'Shyuum allies, favored the domesticated [[Pheru]], originating from the planet [[Faun Hakkor]], as pets. The Pheru would also be the first vectors for the Flood.
After centuries of constant warfare against the Forerunners and the Flood, human society had become exceedingly militarized; military officials wielded significant decision-making power, some military offices (namely that of the Political and Morale Commander) doubling as political leadership. During the siege of Charum Hakkor, even human children were organized into their defensive guards.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 41''</ref>
<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 131''</ref>
 
Officers of the ancient human fleets sported various kinds of white facial markings and typically had long hair. Warship crew members wore unadorned, form-fitting suits of body armor, apparently lacking any markings or other features denoting rank,<ref name="h4terminals">'''Halo 4''', ''[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminals]]''</ref> although more elaborate uniforms existed, possibly for ceremonial occasions.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 302''</ref>
 
At least some ancient humans practiced a polytheistic religion, including the [[Forthencho|Lord of Admirals]].<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 320''</ref> The [[Ur-Didact|Didact]] noted that humans had a tendency to worship inanimate objects, including [[Precursor]] artifacts.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 228''</ref> In addition, the humans believed in the teaching of [[Daowa-maad|Daowa-maadthu]], a concept at the center of their beliefs and practices, a reference to the cyclical pattern of trial and growth witnessed over time and often referred to as the roll and tug of the universe on the individual and those within it.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22P26}} This system was exemplified for the ancient humans when a strange powder was discovered aboard mysterious derelict starships that would lead to the devastating civilization-spanning outbreak known as the Flood.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 56''</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22P26}}
 
The humans, along with their [[San'Shyuum]] allies, favored the domesticated [[Pheru]], originating from the planet [[Faun Hakkor]], as pets. The Pheru would also be the first vectors for the Flood.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 131''</ref>


==Technology==
==Technology==
Prior to the dismantling of their civilization, humanity had reached Tier 1 on the [[Technological Achievement Tiers|Forerunner technological achievement scale]], making them nearly technological equals of the Forerunners. On Charum Hakkor, the humans built vast constructs supported by the Precursor structures; cities stretching to orbit along [[orbital arch]]es, described by [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]] as resembling ivy growing on great trees. In addition, they built energy towers and defense platforms operating at [[geosynchronous orbit]] and equigravitation,<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 164''</ref> linked by virtually unbreakable Precursor [[unbending filament]]s.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 118''</ref>
[[File:H4-Terminal-Forthencho-Fleet.jpg|thumb|250px|A prehistoric human space fleet preparing to sterilize a Forerunner planet during the initial Flood conflict.]]
In the decades before the dismantling of their civilization, humans were technological equals of the Forerunners in many areas, likely placing them on Tier 1 on the Forerunner [[Technological Achievement Tiers|technological achievement scale]]. This was largely thanks to the efforts of Yprin Yprikushma, who encouraged humanity to study Forerunner technologies encountered in earlier conflicts with Forerunners.{{Ref/Reuse|prim237}} Despite this, the Forerunners' technological achievements still overshadowed those of humanity in many fields, including [[Astroengineering|megascale engineering]] and [[slipspace]] technology. For example, the humans were seemingly unable to construct megastructures on the scale of a [[Halo Array|Halo installation]],<ref name="p257">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 257''</ref> and their understanding of space-time reconciliation was inferior to that of the Forerunners, who were able to use their superior understanding of slipspace to an advantage by clogging the humans' slipspace channels and slowing their interstellar travel.<ref name="prim240">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 240''</ref>


==Known Worlds==
Humans of this time used [[artificial intelligence]] constructs known as [[servitor]]s.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 34''</ref> These robotic intelligences assisted human scientists in reverse-engineering Forerunner technologies during the Forerunner wars, nearly bridging the technological gap between the two civilizations.{{Ref/Reuse|prim237}} On Charum Hakkor, the humans built vast constructs supported by the Precursor structures; cities stretching to orbit along [[orbital arch]]es, described by [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]] as resembling ivy growing on great trees. In addition, they built energy towers and defense platforms operating at [[geosynchronous orbit]] and equigravitation,<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 164''</ref> linked by virtually unbreakable Precursor [[Star road|filaments]].<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 118''</ref> Many human worlds were encompassed by vast railway networks, a technological achievement Forthencho took pride in.{{Ref/Reuse|p257}}
*[[Charum Hakkor]]
*[[Ben Nauk]]
*[[Faun Hakkor]]


Human and Forerunner infantry shared many similar military technologies, including advanced battle armor and [[directed energy weapon]]s such as various particle rifles. The Didact indicated that at one point humanity (with the help of the San'Shyuum) had developed offensive military technologies that the Didact's warriors had no effective defense against, which enabled them to compensate against the overwhelming numbers of the Forerunner military.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref> Human [[warship]]s could emit high-intensity energy streams capable of destroying [[Forerunner fleet|Forerunner ships]] and sterilizing entire Flood-infected worlds.{{Ref/Reuse|h4terminals}} Examples of ancient human warship types include the [[prime cruiser]]s and [[tuned platform]]s.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 156''</ref> Ancient human warships were equipped with a weapons system known as a [[Fibril cutter]], alongside weapons superficially similar to particle-beam weapons.{{Ref/Reuse|wf}}
Humans of this era had an understanding of Precursor technology which was sufficient enough to enable them to create a device that could selectively and temporarily open access to a Precursor stasis capsule from outside allowing communication between those outside and the Primordial imprisoned inside it. The device was smooth, oval shaped with three notches in its side.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref>
==Sphere of influence==
{{Main|Human colonies}}
Humanity's empire encompassed at least twenty thousand worlds in a thousand star systems across thirty thousand lightyears<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 42''</ref> of the [[Milky Way Galaxy]].;<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 129''</ref> This is likely before they lost a third of their colonies to the Flood as the Flood had ravaged humanity's colonies for over one thousand years prior to the discovery of the Primordial and the Flood only retreated from the Milky Way Galaxy during the 40 years between the Primordial being discovered by humanity and the final 53-year conflict of the human-Forerunner wars.
*[[Sol system]]
**[[Earth]]
*[[Charum Hakkor system]]
**[[Charum Hakkor]]
**[[Ben Nauk]]
**[[Faun Hakkor]]
**[[Sothra Hakkor]]
*[[Wolf-faced planet]]
==Notable individuals==
*[[Forthencho]] - Lord of Admirals, head of the human Admiralty.{{Ref/Reuse|prim240}} Commanded the last human fleets against the Didact's forces at Charum Hakkor.
*[[Yprin Yprikushma]] - Political and Morale Commander and prominent scientist. She contributed significantly to the technological breakthroughs that allowed humanity to hold off against Forerunners.
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:H4-Terminal-HumanShip-Bridge.jpg|The bridge of a human ship in orbit over a Forerunner world in ''[[Halo 4]]'''s [[Terminal (Halo 4)|terminals]].
File:H4-Terminal-PreHuman-Death.jpg|A human warrior falls in battle.
File:H4-Concept-PreHuman-Armor.jpg|Designs of an ancient human battle armor suit.
File:H4-Terminal-Human-ShipDesigns.jpg|Designs of ancient human battleships (top half), and forerunner battleships (bottom half).
File:H4-Terminal-Forthencho hologram.jpg|Forthencho, Lord of Admirals, examines a hologram of an infested Forerunner world.
File:H4-Terminal-Prehistoric human_BridgeOfficer2.jpg|Another bridge officer surrounded by displays.
File:H4 - Forthencho surrenders.jpg|thumb|[[Forthencho|Lord of Admirals Forthencho]], commander of the prehistoric human military, accompanied by human soldiers.
File:HM-AncientHumanships.png|Ancient human ships above Charum Hakkor in ''[[Halo Mythos]]''.
File:Ancient Human cruiser.jpg|An ancient human cruiser found by the Office of Naval Intelligence at [[Site Yankee-002-G3]].
</gallery>


==List of appearances==
==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Cryptum]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Cryptum]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Primordium]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo: Silentium]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' {{Im}}
*''[[Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo]]''
*''[[Halo: Renegades]]'' {{mo}}
*''[[Halo: Point of Light]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Infinite]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Epitaph]]''
*''[[Halo: The Machine Breaks]]'' {{Mo}}


==Sources==
==Sources==
<references/>
{{Ref/Sources|2}}
[[Category:Factions]]
 
{{Organizations}}
 
[[Category:Human]]
[[Category:Human]]
[[Category:Ancient humanity| ]]

Latest revision as of 14:37, November 25, 2024

This article is about the original ancient humans with advanced civilization. For the ancient humans regressed to hunter-gatherers, see Erde-Tyrene civilization.
Ancestors
Forerunners and Ancient Humanity on Earth.
Ancient humans Yprin and Forthencho.[1]
Empire overview

Type:

Interstellar empire

Societal overview

Capital:

Charum Hakkor

Technology level:

Tier 1

Historical overview

Formation:

c. 150,000 BCE

Dissolution:

106,445 BCE

 

"Once, we were one great race, united in power and concerted in our goals..."
— Forthencho[2]

The Ancestors[3][4] or ancient humanity,[5][6] were a prehistoric, technologically advanced civilization of the human species that rose to preeminence in the Milky Way galaxy by approximately 150,000 BCE. Having first achieved interstellar travel over a million years earlier and colonized planets across the Orion Arm toward the galactic border, humans became a major political and military power rivaling the Forerunners; indeed, the Didact considered them the second greatest military power and the latest challenge to Forerunner influence. Over a hundred thousand years later, the Librarian would tell John-117 that they were the greatest threat ever faced by the Forerunners.[7] Members of the most predominant human species of this era (retroactively known as "ancient humans" and scientifically designated archeohomina [8]) were on average larger, stronger, and significantly more intelligent than modern humans.[5] This civilization allied with the contemporary San'Shyuum and later waged war against the Flood, only to come into conflict with the Forerunners; they ultimately suffered a disastrous defeat against the Forerunners and were subsequently regressed into hunter-gatherers, confined to their ancient homeworld.

History[edit]

Origin and rise[edit]

Artwork of an Ancestor city in the Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition).
An Ancestor city.
A city on Charum Hakkor, the capital of the Ancestor empire.

Having presumably evolved and achieved civilization on Earth, originally known as "Erda" or "Erde-Tyrene",[9] humanity first became a spacefaring civilization at some point prior to 1,100,000 BCE. These early humans settled on numerous worlds along the galactic margin; these regions would be targeted by the Flood's initial assault over a million years later.[10] Early in their history, long before encountering the Forerunners, humanity underwent a series of technological dark ages, which left their populations scattered across many worlds and resulted in the loss of most of their records, including the knowledge of Earth being their potential original homeworld. It was not until much later when scientists led by Yprin Yprikushma traced humanity's potential origin to Earth.[9] Around 150,000 BCE humanity moved their civilization outward along the Orion Arm, possibly to flee Forerunner control.[11] They first settled in and built up population centers in two star systems dozens of lightyears away from Sol before stringing outposts together across nearly thirty thousand lightyears toward the galactic margin of the galaxy.[12]

After recovering from their dark ages, humanity made the former Precursor world Charum Hakkor their capital, to be close to one of the greatest collections of Precursor structures.[13] Humanity also formed an alliance with the San'Shyuum species in order to gain access to their advanced technology.[14] At their height, humanity's technological advancement nearly rivaled that of the Forerunners.[15]

War[edit]

Main article: Human-Forerunner wars
Human and Forerunner forces battle on Charum Hakkor.

This civilization encountered the Flood by 108,764 BCE at the latest and went to war against the parasite after discovering its true nature. After losing many planets to the Flood, humanity desperately invaded a minor sector of the Forerunners' ecumene, ostensibly in an attempt to seize new territory to replace the worlds they had lost, though at least some instances of this seeming aggression were in fact humanity sterilizing worlds where Flood infestation had already taken hold. Nevertheless, the Forerunners responded violently to this aggression and waged war with the humans and their San'Shyuum allies. The resulting conflicts lasted for a thousand years.[7]

In 107,564 BCE, forty years before the last conflict between humanity and the Forerunners, a human expeditionary group encountered an ancient being held in hibernation on a planet near the galaxy's edges. Under Yprin Yprikushma's orders, this being, known as the Primordial, was placed in a stasis capsule and transported to Charum Hakkor for study.[9] Human researchers found a way to communicate with the entity, asking in vain for answers to various scientific or moral questions, receiving no useful responses.[16] Instead, the being revealed disconcerting truths about humanity's origins; this was believed by some to have caused the demoralization of human culture and thus contributed to their defeat against the Forerunners.[9] They also inquired the Primordial about the Flood; the answers they received were so traumatizing that many committed suicide.[16]

After a certain point, the Flood's rampage throughout human territory stopped. The Flood no longer infected humans and instead began to rapidly die out, with both humans and Forerunners sterilizing the remaining infestations.[17] Based on this pattern, the Forerunners concluded that humanity had discovered a cure for the Flood: according to Forerunner records, the humans sacrificed a third of their total population, implanting them with destructive, artificially programmed genes used to target the Flood on a genetic level. In reality, however, the Flood had receded by its own volition after the sacrifice; no truly functioning cure was ever created or used by humanity,[18] though both Forerunners and humans themselves remained under such illusion.[19]

Stretched thin due to fighting two wars at once, the humans were finally driven to their capital of Charum Hakkor. After holding off for fifty-three years they were defeated at the hands of the Forerunners, led by the Didact.[20] Before the fall of Charum Hakkor some humans suggested they should draw out the Flood and use it against the Forerunners. However, this strategy was denied, as the human leadership chose to face defeat rather than allow the Flood to spread.[21]

Downfall[edit]

Human ships burn in Charum Hakkor's orbit.

As punishment for defying the Forerunners, nearly all of humanity was wiped out and the remnants and technological achievements of their civilization were extirpated. Furthermore, the surviving humans were subjected to a process of biological devolution;[22][23] live humans were forced to consciously experience an artificially induced reversion of their evolutionary process, to the point of their bodies transforming to their ancestral forms and eventually losing intelligence.[24] The remnants of the human species were exiled to Earth, where they were overseen by the Librarian; while many Forerunners wanted to see humanity exterminated, the Librarian had always been considered their greatest protector.[25] In only a thousand years, humanity recovered many of their prior forms, along with many new ones, due to the assistance of the Librarian and her geas, as well as unknown factors not even the Librarian and her Lifeworkers could explain.[26] Over twenty human species made recovery and formed separate populations on Earth,[22] including the hamanush, k'tamanush, b'ashamanush, and chamanush.[23] This meddling was noted to have considerably distorted Earth's natural fossil records.[22]

The Forerunner victory proved disastrous for the galaxy, as the humans destroyed all their research data and physical evidence concerning the Flood, including their supposed cure. Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting speculated it may have been humanity's last act of revenge to leave the Forerunners unprepared to face the incoming threat that led to the firing of the Halo Array.[20] The last human survivors on Charum Hakkor were subjected to thorough analysis and experimentation to discover their supposed Flood immunity; eventually, their patterns were extracted by Composers and archived in machine storage, where the human essences would be incessantly scoured for a cure for thousands of years.[27]

The Librarian and Didact later learned that humanity had never developed a cure or a way to fend off the Flood. As the remnant of the Precursors, the Flood sought to punish the Forerunners for destroying them and ensure that humanity obtained the Mantle. When the Forerunners retaliated against the humans for invading Forerunner worlds, the Flood predicted that the Forerunners would try to exterminate humanity. Of its own volition, the Flood abruptly receded from human territory, knowing that the humans would temporarily rebound and thus unknowingly deceive the Forerunners into thinking they may have developed a cure. This caused the Forerunners to restrain themselves from eradicating humanity and preserve a regressed remnant population since they needed living humans to study if their apparent Flood cure was to be found.[28]

Partial recovery[edit]

Main article: Erde-Tyrene civilization
After their once highly advanced civilization had been shattered by the Forerunners, most humans lived within hunter-gatherer communities. The humans seen here are observing the portal to the Ark.

Forced to start again, the collective human genus tried in vain to reattain their former glory. Some human communities, such as the civilization built around Erde-Tyrene's largest city, Marontik, established wooden cities and steam-powered waterborne vessels nearly nine thousand years later.[23][29] Most humans, however, lived in Tier 7 tribal communities, such as the one that was encountered by the Forerunners during the construction of the portal to the Ark in eastern Africa.[30]

After the activation of the Halo Array, the human civilization regressed once again, and would remain Tier 7 hunter-gatherers for nearly a hundred millennia.

Rediscovery[edit]

For much of humanity's history before the mid-26th century, virtually all artifacts and records of their former civilization had been lost to time. However, in the mid-2550s, after the Human-Covenant War had ended, small but significant discoveries began to trickle in about humanity's powerful past. On Heian, ruins were found resembling a wide variety of human styles, including Greco-Roman, Middle Eastern, and East Asian, with subtle Forerunner themes. The Department of Xenoarchaeological Studies at the University of Edinburgh found the obvious elements of human architecture in the structures puzzling, wondering if their builders borrowed from human architecture or the other way around.[31] The Office of Naval Intelligence discovered one derelict ancient human vessel at Site Yankee-002-G3. The Xeno-Materials Exploitation Group examined the artifact in ONI XENO-MATERIALS EXPLOITATION REPORT 15Y1198 and assessed its tactical capabilities. Their report recommended that further analysis of the ship should be immediately assigned to Project ARC DREAM and noted that an investigation of its weaponry was already underway by a team on AZURE MOON.[8]

Records of prehistoric humanity began to be encountered as well. On Onyx, an artifact referred to as the Bornstellar Relation gave a testimony of the life of the Forerunner Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting, including the knowledge that humanity had once been a Tier 1 species.[32] This account was complemented by the testimony of the remains of 343 Guilty Spark, who related to listening scientists about his life as the prehistoric human Chakas.[33][34]

In July 2557, the Spartan-II John-117 encountered an archived personality of the Forerunner known as the Librarian on Requiem. She revealed the times of the ancient human-Forerunner wars to the Spartan, as well as the origins of the mechanical Prometheans, ancient humans who had been the first "conscripts" into the Didact's army during the last years of the Forerunner's war against the Flood. The Librarian further revealed that she had been guiding humanity since their devolution, notably instigating the physical evolution of the select few humans who met the SPARTAN-II program's genetic requirements, as well as the creation of powered armor and even AIs like Cortana, in an attempt to prepare humanity from an unknown threat. The Librarian would call John "the culmination of a thousand lifetimes of planning" though she never got to tell him for what. During this conversation, the Librarian would call ancient humanity the greatest threat ever faced by the Forerunners. As a result, the recently revived Didact sought to finish their destruction with the Composer. John would later share this information with the bridge crew of the UNSC Infinity.[7] At some point, the UNSC would discover some ancient human ruins with knowledge on a dead world, and a shattered starship with a vault full of unknown materials; using technology gathered from both discoveries, the UNSC would create the HELLCAT-class Mjolnir.[35]

In late 2558, 343 Guilty Spark discovered that the Librarian's work on Bastion - which resembled a copy of Earth, the homeworld of humanity - included studies and experimentation on ancient humanity.[36]

The Domain[edit]

After being composed, Forthencho and the Ancestors were sent to the outer boundaries of the Domain. It took the Ancestors tens of thousands of years to adjust, and finally heal their souls, to remember their past and reform themselves into a complete presence within a rift in the Domain's outer boundaries where the Warden Eternal kept them out of the Domain itself. According to Forthencho, this was because being composed had kept the Ancestors from any sort of a human afterlife and instead sent them to the Forerunner one.[37]

While in the outer boundaries of the Domain, the Didact met the composed essences of Forthencho and millions of other Ancestors. After the Didact mentioned the current human race to the Ancestors, they were greatly relieved, revealing that they had not known whether or not their kind had survived. The Didact told the Ancestors everything that he knew about human history, from the firing of the Halo Array to the state of humanity as the Didact found it when he had awakened on Requiem. That humanity had miraculously survived thanks to the Librarian's planning and was once again colonizing the stars caused a wide spectrum of emotion: grief for the enormity of their own loses, and pride for the dogged nature of humanity and the achievements made in their absence. After hearing the story and of the danger of Cortana and the Created, Forthencho and his warriors agreed to ally with the Didact and the other Forerunner essences to free the Domain from Cortana's control.[37] The Ancestors and the Forerunners later attacked the Warden Eternal as a distraction, giving the Didact the chance to destroy the construct.[38]

Following the destruction of the Warden Eternal, the Didact invited the human essences to join the Forerunners in the halls of the Domain.[39][40]

Physiology[edit]

This prehistoric human possessed a facial composition identical to that of a modern human.

While ancient humans exhibited a range of morphological variation,[41] the ethnic group represented by Forthencho and his bridge crew were remarkably similar in appearance to modern Homo sapiens. They possessed straight to wavy hair textures, thin to full lips, and an overall largely similar facial composition to their modern counterparts. [42] Like modern humans, ancient humans had a range of different body types; for example, Forthencho was tall and muscular while Yprin Yprikushma had a short and stocky build.[43] After meeting Chakas, a Homo sapiens, the Didact was displeased and noted that he was too much like the humans who had murdered his children and nearly destroyed his fleets while he was more pleased with the appearance of Riser, a Florian and a different type of human.[44]

Despite the technological and biological achievements of their descendants, prehistoric humans naturally possessed more body mass and strength[24] and were on average significantly more intelligent than modern humans.[5] The Librarian said that, if not for their encounter with the Flood, prehistoric humanity's gene-plan could have surpassed that of even the Forerunners.[45] After fighting against the Didact for fifty-three years, in the endgame of the human-Forerunner wars, Forthencho had acquired noticeable facial wrinkles. However, he still retained the body mass he possessed in his youth. Given the length of Forthencho's career (at least a thousand years) it can be concluded that ancient humans had much longer lifespans (a record made by 343 Guilty Spark on Reclaimers and specifically John-117 indicated that one of the physiological ailments he possesses is modern humanity's "highly truncated lifespan") than their modern descendants (whether naturally, due to advanced medical science, or a combination of the two), although their lifespans still paled in comparison to those of the Forerunners.[46]

Culture[edit]

Little is known about human culture of this time. According to the Ur-Didact, humanity believed themselves to be the true inheritors of the Mantle of Responsibility, a notion the Forerunners considered heretical.[13] Ironically, the Precursors had intended for humans to inherit the Mantle instead of the Forerunners.[47] Regardless of the pressure on their growing populations and the Flood, humans were also said to be particularly cruel toward other species. Chakas, examining the harvested memories of his ancestors imprinted to him as part of a geas, discovered that they believed in "creating many souls", or expanding their population by conquering and claiming other worlds.[48]

The humans of this time were willing to forge relations and alliances with other sapient species as evidenced by their alliance with the San'Shyuum, who shared their disdain for the Forerunners. This bond deepened over time, with the two species co-inhabiting worlds and creating political and cultural centers along the galactic periphery.[49]

In contrast to the Forerunners, their attentions were drawn to the interleaving of dimensions and weaving of exotic force rather than applications of macro-engineering. They were considered the undisputed masters of scientific synthesis, collaborating with their kind and other sapient species to exploit unique languages, outlooks, and intuitions into a greater whole and more complete understanding of universal principles, a tradition that would endure the long passage of time.[50]

After centuries of constant warfare against the Forerunners and the Flood, human society had become exceedingly militarized; military officials wielded significant decision-making power, some military offices (namely that of the Political and Morale Commander) doubling as political leadership. During the siege of Charum Hakkor, even human children were organized into their defensive guards.[51]

Officers of the ancient human fleets sported various kinds of white facial markings and typically had long hair. Warship crew members wore unadorned, form-fitting suits of body armor, apparently lacking any markings or other features denoting rank,[52] although more elaborate uniforms existed, possibly for ceremonial occasions.[53]

At least some ancient humans practiced a polytheistic religion, including the Lord of Admirals.[54] The Didact noted that humans had a tendency to worship inanimate objects, including Precursor artifacts.[55] In addition, the humans believed in the teaching of Daowa-maadthu, a concept at the center of their beliefs and practices, a reference to the cyclical pattern of trial and growth witnessed over time and often referred to as the roll and tug of the universe on the individual and those within it.[49] This system was exemplified for the ancient humans when a strange powder was discovered aboard mysterious derelict starships that would lead to the devastating civilization-spanning outbreak known as the Flood.[56][49]

The humans, along with their San'Shyuum allies, favored the domesticated Pheru, originating from the planet Faun Hakkor, as pets. The Pheru would also be the first vectors for the Flood.[57]

Technology[edit]

A prehistoric human space fleet preparing to sterilize a Forerunner planet during the initial Flood conflict.

In the decades before the dismantling of their civilization, humans were technological equals of the Forerunners in many areas, likely placing them on Tier 1 on the Forerunner technological achievement scale. This was largely thanks to the efforts of Yprin Yprikushma, who encouraged humanity to study Forerunner technologies encountered in earlier conflicts with Forerunners.[9] Despite this, the Forerunners' technological achievements still overshadowed those of humanity in many fields, including megascale engineering and slipspace technology. For example, the humans were seemingly unable to construct megastructures on the scale of a Halo installation,[58] and their understanding of space-time reconciliation was inferior to that of the Forerunners, who were able to use their superior understanding of slipspace to an advantage by clogging the humans' slipspace channels and slowing their interstellar travel.[59]

Humans of this time used artificial intelligence constructs known as servitors.[60] These robotic intelligences assisted human scientists in reverse-engineering Forerunner technologies during the Forerunner wars, nearly bridging the technological gap between the two civilizations.[9] On Charum Hakkor, the humans built vast constructs supported by the Precursor structures; cities stretching to orbit along orbital arches, described by Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting as resembling ivy growing on great trees. In addition, they built energy towers and defense platforms operating at geosynchronous orbit and equigravitation,[61] linked by virtually unbreakable Precursor filaments.[62] Many human worlds were encompassed by vast railway networks, a technological achievement Forthencho took pride in.[58]

Human and Forerunner infantry shared many similar military technologies, including advanced battle armor and directed energy weapons such as various particle rifles. The Didact indicated that at one point humanity (with the help of the San'Shyuum) had developed offensive military technologies that the Didact's warriors had no effective defense against, which enabled them to compensate against the overwhelming numbers of the Forerunner military.[63] Human warships could emit high-intensity energy streams capable of destroying Forerunner ships and sterilizing entire Flood-infected worlds.[52] Examples of ancient human warship types include the prime cruisers and tuned platforms.[64] Ancient human warships were equipped with a weapons system known as a Fibril cutter, alongside weapons superficially similar to particle-beam weapons.[8]

Humans of this era had an understanding of Precursor technology which was sufficient enough to enable them to create a device that could selectively and temporarily open access to a Precursor stasis capsule from outside allowing communication between those outside and the Primordial imprisoned inside it. The device was smooth, oval shaped with three notches in its side.[65]

Sphere of influence[edit]

Main article: Human colonies

Humanity's empire encompassed at least twenty thousand worlds in a thousand star systems across thirty thousand lightyears[66] of the Milky Way Galaxy.;[67] This is likely before they lost a third of their colonies to the Flood as the Flood had ravaged humanity's colonies for over one thousand years prior to the discovery of the Primordial and the Flood only retreated from the Milky Way Galaxy during the 40 years between the Primordial being discovered by humanity and the final 53-year conflict of the human-Forerunner wars.

Notable individuals[edit]

  • Forthencho - Lord of Admirals, head of the human Admiralty.[59] Commanded the last human fleets against the Didact's forces at Charum Hakkor.
  • Yprin Yprikushma - Political and Morale Commander and prominent scientist. She contributed significantly to the technological breakthroughs that allowed humanity to hold off against Forerunners.

Gallery[edit]

  • The bridge of a human ship in orbit over a Forerunner world in Halo 4's terminals.

    The bridge of a human ship in orbit over a Forerunner world in Halo 4's terminals.

  • A human warrior falls in battle.

    A human warrior falls in battle.

  • Designs of an ancient human battle armor suit.

    Designs of an ancient human battle armor suit.

  • Designs of ancient human battleships (top half), and forerunner battleships (bottom half).

    Designs of ancient human battleships (top half), and forerunner battleships (bottom half).

  • Forthencho, Lord of Admirals, examines a hologram of an infested Forerunner world.

    Forthencho, Lord of Admirals, examines a hologram of an infested Forerunner world.

  • Another bridge officer surrounded by displays.

    Another bridge officer surrounded by displays.

  • Lord of Admirals Forthencho, commander of the prehistoric human military, accompanied by human soldiers.

    Lord of Admirals Forthencho, commander of the prehistoric human military, accompanied by human soldiers.

  • Ancient human ships above Charum Hakkor in Halo Mythos.

    Ancient human ships above Charum Hakkor in Halo Mythos.

  • An ancient human cruiser found by the Office of Naval Intelligence at Site Yankee-002-G3.

    An ancient human cruiser found by the Office of Naval Intelligence at Site Yankee-002-G3.

List of appearances[edit]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ Halo Waypoint :Confirmation of Yprin in Mythos
  2. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 99
  3. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 10-11
  4. ^ Halo Waypoint, The New Halo Encyclopedia is Out Today (Retrieved on Mar 11, 2023) [archive]
  5. ^ a b c Halo Waypoint: Humans
  6. ^ Canon Fodder: Sustained Glass
  7. ^ a b c Halo 4, campaign level Reclaimer
  8. ^ a b c Halo: Warfleet, page 14
  9. ^ a b c d e f Halo: Primordium, page 237-238
  10. ^ Halo: Silentium, pages 67-68
  11. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 20
  12. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 42
  13. ^ a b Halo: Cryptum, page 112
  14. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 113
  15. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 164
  16. ^ a b Halo: Cryptum, page 271
  17. ^ Halo: Silentium, pages 36-37
  18. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 367
  19. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 53
  20. ^ a b Halo: Cryptum, pages 267-272
  21. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 190
  22. ^ a b c Halo: Cryptum, page 127
  23. ^ a b c Halo: Cryptum, page 25
  24. ^ a b Halo: Silentium, page 42
  25. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 77
  26. ^ Halo: Silentium, pages 45-47
  27. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 43
  28. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 259-261
  29. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 86
  30. ^ Halo 3: The Cradle of Life
  31. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, From the Office of Dr. William Arthur Iqbal
  32. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 230
  33. ^ Eleventh Hour reports, part 4
  34. ^ Halo: Primordium, pages 376-379
  35. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, Hellcat armor description
  36. ^ Halo: Point of Light, Epilogue
  37. ^ a b Halo: Epitaph, chapter 22
  38. ^ Halo: Epitaph, chapter 25
  39. ^ Halo: Epitaph, chapter 26
  40. ^ Halo: Epitaph, chapter 27
  41. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 129
  42. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 236
  43. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 307
  44. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 82
  45. ^ Halo 4, Terminal 3
  46. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 234
  47. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 364
  48. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 130
  49. ^ a b c Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 26
  50. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 27
  51. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 41
  52. ^ a b Halo 4, Terminals
  53. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 302
  54. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 320
  55. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 228
  56. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 56
  57. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 131
  58. ^ a b Halo: Primordium, page 257
  59. ^ a b Halo: Primordium, page 240
  60. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 34
  61. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 164
  62. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 118
  63. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 112
  64. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 156
  65. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 112
  66. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 42
  67. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 129

v • d • e
 
Polities, organizations, and civilizations
Contemporary
Interstellar/Interplanetary organizations Banished • Covenant • Swords of Sanghelios • Created • Children of Oth Sonin • Concert of Worlds • Frieden • Insurrectionists (Arcadia/Harvest • New Colonial Alliance • People's Occupation • People's Occupation Government • Secessionist Union (Eridanus secessionists) • United Rebel Front) Koslovics • San'Shyuum flotilla (Dhas Bhasvod's Covenant • Tem'Bhetek's faction) • Unified Earth Government (Colonial Authority • United Nations Space Command)
Planetary/Local organizations Castoffs • Defenders of the Sanctum • Eridanus Government • Gao Republic • Insurrectionists (Bandusa • Freedom and Liberation Party • Galodew Emancipation • Gao Liberation Force • Sundered Legion) • Joyous Exultation Covenant • Khabnathwa • Neo-Frieden • Prospector Party • Sedran government • Stewards • United Nations (Nations) • Unggoy government • Ussans • Venezian Militia
Private organizations 'Gajat mercenaries • Shields of Requiem
Religious organizations Covenant remnants ('Mdama's Covenant • 'Nyon's Covenant • Keepers of the One Freedom • Vol's Covenant) • 'Refumee's heretics • Servants of the Abiding Truth
Ancient
Interstellar organizations Ecumene • Human-San'Shyuum alliance • Ancestors
Planetary/Local organizations Council of City States • Erde-Tyrene civilization • Sedaaro • Reformists (Keepers of the Dawn) • Stoics • Tudejsa
Protogenic
Italics denote entities that are confirmed or assumed to be defunct given currently available information.
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