ABSTRACT
The importance of the opposition of the thumb in the abilities of the human hand has often been emphasized. Opposition is not specific to mankind, as all primates have an opposable thumb, even lemurs. However, erect posture on lower limbs permitted the opposition of the thumb to be developed while the first toe lost this ability. The features specific to mankind are the conjunction of tength of the first column, density of tactile pulp receptors and opposition amplitude. This gave mankind supremacy in hunting, gathering and tool production, while the erect posture allowed skull volume to increase.
