Hominid Database
This page is still under construction but will soon be a dynamic database giving access to hominid fossil evidence.
The database will alow searching, sorting and querying. I also hope to integrate it with google maps to allow the
location of each find to be plotted and accessed from within the google map API.
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Species:Homo erectus/Homo erectus ergaster |
Location:Middle Awash Afar, Ethiopia |
Discovery Date:35791 |
| Discovered By:W. Henry Gilbert |
Estimated Age:1.0 mya |
Fossil Name:BOU-VP-2/66 |
| Notes:Perhaps unites African finds and Asian finds into one species- Homo erectus Cutmarks on skull (tentatively attributed to animal gnawing) Argued by authors that Homo erectus, represented by Daka, was ancestor of Homo sapiens |
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Species:Paranthropus robustus/Australopithecus robustus |
Location:Drimolen Gauteng, South Africa |
Discovery Date:34628 |
| Discovered By:Andre W. Keyser |
Estimated Age:1.5 mya - 2 mya |
Fossil Name:DNH 7 |
| Notes:Adult (based on wear on third molars) |
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Species:Homo ergaster/Homo erectus/Homo erectus ergaster |
Location:Nariokotome West Turkana, Kenya |
Discovery Date:1984 |
| Discovered By:K. Kimeu |
Estimated Age:1.6 mya |
Fossil Name:KNM-WT 15000 |
| Notes:Hairless and dark pigmented body (based on environment, limb proportions) Juvenile (9-12 based on 2nd molar eruption and unfused growth plates) Juvenile (8 years old based on recent studies on tooth development) Incapable of speech (based on narrowing of spinal canal in thoracic region) |
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Species:Paranthropus boisei/Australopithecus boisei |
Location:Koobi Fora Lake Turkana, Kenya |
Discovery Date:1969 |
| Discovered By:R. Leakey and H. Mutua |
Estimated Age:1.7 mya |
Fossil Name:KNM-ER 406 |
| Notes:Believed not to have made tools Bone disease behind left eye orbit (possible abscess) |
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Species:Homo ergaster/Homo erectus ergaster |
Location:Dmanisi, Republic of Georgia |
Discovery Date:1999 |
| Discovered By:Gotcha Kiladze |
Estimated Age:1.7 mya |
Fossil Name:D2282 |
| Notes:Found with D2280- presumed male cranium Adolescent (based on cranial sutures, molar eruption and dental wear) First confirmed hominid out of Africa |
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Species:Homo ergaster/Homo erectus/Homo erectus ergaster |
Location:Koobi Fora Lake Turkana, Kenya |
Discovery Date:1975 |
| Discovered By:B. Ngeneo |
Estimated Age:1.75 mya |
Fossil Name:KNM-ER 3733 |
| Notes:Adult (based on cranial sutures, molar eruption and dental wear) |
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Species:Homo erectus/Homo ergaster/Homo erectus ergaster |
Location:Dmanisi, Republic of Georgia |
Discovery Date:37104 |
| Discovered By:David Lordkipanidze |
Estimated Age:1.75 mya |
Fossil Name:D2700 |
| Notes:Adolescent (based on partial eruption of 3rd molars) Closely related to Homo habilis |
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Species:Paranthropus robustus/Australopithecus robustus |
Location:Swartkrans South Africa |
Discovery Date:18444 |
| Discovered By:Fourie. Described by R. Broom |
Estimated Age:1.8 mya |
Fossil Name:SK 48 |
| Notes:Adult (based on molar eruption) Enlarged molars and zygomatic arch (Presumably chewing adaptations) |
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Species:Paranthropus boisei/Australopithecus boisei |
Location:Olduvai Gorge Tanzania |
Discovery Date:1959 |
| Discovered By:Mary Leakey |
Estimated Age:1.8 mya |
Fossil Name:OH 5 |
| Notes:Young adult (based on open sutures and 3rd molar eruption) Large, massive molars used to crush vegetation |
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Species:Homo rudolfensis/Homo habilis/Australopithecus rudolfensis/Kenyanthropus rudolfensis |
Location:Koobi Fora Lake Turkana, Kenya |
Discovery Date:1972 |
| Discovered By:B. Ngeneo |
Estimated Age:1.8 mya |
Fossil Name:KNM-ER 1470 |
| Notes:Bipedal (based on postcranial bones in same layer) Adult Large, massive molars Possible descendent of species represented by KNM-WT 40000 |
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Species:Homo habilis/Australopithecus habilis |
Location:Koobi Fora Lake Turkana, Kenya |
Discovery Date:1973 |
| Discovered By:K. Kimeu |
Estimated Age:1.9 mya |
Fossil Name:KNM-ER 1813 |
| Notes:Adult (based on 3rd molar eruption and dental wear) Skull morphology very Homo-like 1813 too different from KNM-ER 1470 to be same species 1813 similar enough to 1470 to be same species |
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Species:Australopithecus africanus |
Location:Buxton Limeworks Taung, South Africa |
Discovery Date:1924 |
| Discovered By:M. de Bruyn |
Estimated Age:2.3 mya |
Fossil Name:Taung Child |
| Notes:juvenile (3 years old based on deciduous teeth, first permanent molars) Bipedal hominid (based on position of foramen magnum, brain endocast, small canines) Killed possibly by bird of prey (based on fractures and puncture marks on skull) |
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Species:Australopithecus africanus |
Location:Sterkfontein Cave South Africa |
Discovery Date:1947 |
| Discovered By:R. Broom & J. Robinson |
Estimated Age:2.5 mya |
Fossil Name:Sts 5 |
| Notes:Erect posture (based on forward facing foramen magnum) |
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Species:Australopithecus aethiopicus/Paranthropus aethiopicus |
Location:West Turkana, Kenya |
Discovery Date:1985 |
| Discovered By:A. Walker |
Estimated Age:2.5 mya |
Fossil Name:KNM-WT 17000 |
| Notes:Massive jaws and molars suggestive of herbivorous diet Upright posture (based of forward facing foramen magnum) Fossil color due to manganese-rich minerals |
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Species:Australopithecus garhi |
Location:Middle Awash Afar, Ethiopia |
Discovery Date:35754 |
| Discovered By:Y. Haile-Selassie |
Estimated Age:2.5 mya |
Fossil Name:BOU-VP-12/130 |
| Notes:Descendant of A. afarensis; candidate ancestor for early homo Meat eater (based on tool marked bones found nearby) Teeth and skeleton Homo-like; cranium Australopithecus-like |
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Species:Homo sapiens/Homo heidelbergensis/Homo erectus |
Location:Dali Shaanxi Province, China |
Discovery Date:28550 |
| Discovered By:Liu Shuntang |
Estimated Age:200,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Dali |
| Notes:Low, thick cranium, browridge, slight sagittal crest (like other Asian H. erectus) Small, flat face and prominent cheekbones of modern Chinese Important fossil for multiregional hypothesis for origin of modern humans Shares similarities with European H. Heidelbergensis |
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Species:Australopithecus afarensis |
Location:Afar locality Hadar, Ethiopia |
Discovery Date:1992 |
| Discovered By:Y. Rak |
Estimated Age:3 mya |
Fossil Name:A.L.444-2 |
| Notes:Older adult (based on molar eruption and dental wear) Confirms earlier reconstructions of afarensis skull |
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Species:Australopithecus bahrelghazali/Australopithecus afarensis |
Location:Bahr el Ghazal, Chad |
Discovery Date:1995 |
| Discovered By:Michel Brunet |
Estimated Age:3 mya - 3.5 mya |
Fossil Name:KT12/H1 |
| Notes:Differs from A. afarensis in chin shape, premolar roots, enamel thickness |
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Species:Australopithecus afarensis |
Location:Afar locality Hadar, Ethiopia |
Discovery Date:1974 |
| Discovered By:D. Johanson |
Estimated Age:3.18 mya |
Fossil Name:A.L.288-1 |
| Notes:Adult (based on molar eruption and bone growth) Bipedal (based on pelvis, lower limbs, footprints from A. afarensis at Laetoli) Arboreal climber (based on skeletal evidence) |
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Species:Australopithecus sp. |
Location:Sterkfontein Cave South Africa |
Discovery Date:1997 |
| Discovered By:R.J. Clarke |
Estimated Age:3.3 mya |
Fossil Name:StW573 |
| Notes:Adult (based on molar eruption) Small sagittal crest Foot bones suggest tree dwelling ability |
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Species:Kenyanthropus platyops/Australopithecus afarensis |
Location:West Turkana, Kenya |
Discovery Date:36739 |
| Discovered By:J. Erus |
Estimated Age:3.5 mya |
Fossil Name:KNM-WT 40000 |
| Notes:Unique mixture of flat face, small cheek teeth with small brain case and earhole May challenge Australopithecus as ancestor of Homo Structurally very similar to KNM-ER 1470 |
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Species:Homo sapiens |
Location:Abri Cro-Magnon Les Eyzies, France |
Discovery Date:03/1868 |
| Discovered By:Louis Lartet & Henry Christy |
Estimated Age:30,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Cro-Magnon 1 |
| Notes: |
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Species:Homo heidelbergensis/Homo erectus/Homo sapiens archaic |
Location:Broken Hill Kabwe, Zambia |
Discovery Date:1921 |
| Discovered By:T. Zwigelaar |
Estimated Age:300,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Kabwe |
| Notes:Older adult (based on 10 cavities and wound near ear) |
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Species:Homo heidelbergensis/Homo neanderthalensis/Archaic Homo sapiens |
Location:Sima de los Huesos Cave Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain |
Discovery Date:33427 |
| Discovered By:Juan-Luis Arsuaga |
Estimated Age:300,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Atapuerca 5 |
| Notes:Adult Fossils represent early stage in Neanderthal evolution Remains perhaps deliberately dumped into the cave |
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Species:Homo heidelbergensis/Homo neanderthalensis |
Location:Katsika Hill Petralona, Greece |
Discovery Date:22175 |
| Discovered By:J. Malkotsis, et al |
Estimated Age:300,000 ya - 400,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Petralona 1 |
| Notes:Neanderthal-like browridge Morphological similarities to archaic Homo sapiens |
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Species:Australopithecus anamensis |
Location:Kanapoi, Kenya |
Discovery Date:1994 |
| Discovered By:P. Nzube |
Estimated Age:4.07 mya - 4.17 mya |
Fossil Name:KNM-KP 29281 |
| Notes:Adult (based on molar eruption and dental wear) fully bipedal (based on distal humerus and partial tibia fossils also found) Ape-like mandible; Homo-like postcranium |
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Species:Ardipithecus ramidus ramidus |
Location:Aramis- Middle Awash Afar, Ethiopia |
Discovery Date:1992 |
| Discovered By:A. Asfaw |
Estimated Age:4.4 mya |
Fossil Name:ARA-VP-1/129 |
| Notes:Bipedal (based on position of foramen magnum and long bones) Lived in wooded environment (based on seeds, fauna) Perhaps a chimpanzee ancestor, not a human ancestor |
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Species:Homo heidelbergensis/Homo neanderthalensis |
Location:Caune de l'Arago Tautavel, France |
Discovery Date:1971 |
| Discovered By:Henry de Lumley |
Estimated Age:400,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Arago XXI |
| Notes:Features suggest Arago is an ancestral Neanderthal Broca's cap found on endocast of brain (speech areas well developed) Righthanded (based on asymmetry of endocast) |
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Species:Homo erectus |
Location:Zhoukoudian Cave China |
Discovery Date:1928-1937 |
| Discovered By:W.C.Pei |
Estimated Age:400,000 ya - 500,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Peking Man |
| Notes:First evidence of human use of fire found here No evidence of fire in Zhoukoudian Cave (bones naturally burned and washed into cave) |
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Species:Homo neanderthalensis |
Location:Amud Cave Israel |
Discovery Date:22460 |
| Discovered By:Hisashi Suzuki |
Estimated Age:45,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Amud |
| Notes:Adult (about 25 based on degree of suture closure in skull) |
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Species:Ardipithecus ramidus kadabba |
Location:Middle Awash Afar, Ethiopia |
Discovery Date:1997-1999 |
| Discovered By:Yohannes Haile-Selassie |
Estimated Age:5.5 mya - 5.8 mya |
Fossil Name:ALA-VP-2/10 |
| Notes:Lived in wet, wooded environment (Challenges hypothesis that hominids evolved on grassy plains) Bipedal (based on shape of toe bone) May represent earliest known human ancestor Perhaps a chimpanzee ancestor and not a human ancestor |
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Species:Orrorin tugenensis |
Location:Lukeino Formation Tugen Hills, Kenya |
Discovery Date:36831 |
| Discovered By:B. Senut & M. Pickford |
Estimated Age:5.72 mya - 5.88 mya |
Fossil Name:BAR 1000'00 |
| Notes:Had tree climbing skills (based on shape of humerus) Bipedal (based on shape of femur) May represent earliest known human ancestorHomo-like teeth and jaws |
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Species:Homo neanderthalensis |
Location:La Ferrassie, France |
Discovery Date:3548 |
| Discovered By:Denis Peyrony and Louis Capitan |
Estimated Age:50,000 ya |
Fossil Name:La Ferrassie 1 |
| Notes:Found deliberately buried with 6 other individuals (Neanderthals buried their dead) Classic Neanderthal anatomy (receeding forhead, long, low cranium, thick bones) Heavily worn front teeth (used as tools) |
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Species:Homo neanderthalensis |
Location:Bouffia Bonneval La Chapelle-Aux-Saints, France |
Discovery Date:3138 |
| Discovered By:Amadee and Jean Bouyssonie and Josef Bonneval |
Estimated Age:50,000 ya |
Fossil Name:La Chapelle-Aux-Saints |
| Notes:Adult (40-50 years old) Severe arthritis. Original interpretation led to misconception of Neanderthal lifestyle and locomotion Skeleton shows adaptations to cold climate Flat cranium base (Neanderthals perhaps could not make a,i,u sounds- larynx too high in throat) |
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Species:Sahelanthropus Tchadensis |
Location:Anthrocotheriid Unit Toros-Menalla, Chad |
Discovery Date:37091 |
| Discovered By:Djimdoumalbaye Ahounta |
Estimated Age:6 mya - 7 mya |
Fossil Name:TM266-01-060-1 |
| Notes:Adult cranium with novel combination of primitive and derived traits. Suggested to be bipedal (based on position of foramen magnum). Perhaps not a direct human ancestor; Chimp ancestor? Gorilla ancestor? |
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Species:Homo heidelbergensis/Homo erectus |
Location:Middle Awash Afar, Ethiopia |
Discovery Date:29129 |
| Discovered By:A. Asfaw, P. Whitehead, C. Wood |
Estimated Age:600,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Bodo |
| Notes:Transition fossil linking Homo erectus and Homo sapiens Cranium exhibits cut marks- perhaps a result of defleshing |
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Species:Homo antecessor/Homo heidelbergensis |
Location:Gran Dolina Atapuerca, Spain |
Discovery Date:1997 |
| Discovered By:J.M. Bermudez de Castro |
Estimated Age:780,000 ya |
Fossil Name:ATD6-69 |
| Notes:May be common ancestor to modern humans and Neanderthals Earliest case of hominid cannabilism (based on cut marks from stone tools on most of remains) |
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Species:Homo erectus |
Location:Sangiran Java, Indonesia |
Discovery Date:25459 |
| Discovered By:Towikromo |
Estimated Age:800,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Sangiran 17 |
| Notes:Fossil rusty brown from iron oxide |
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Species:Homo sapiens |
Location:Skhul Cave Mount Carmel, Israel |
Discovery Date:11811 |
| Discovered By:Theodore McCown and Hallum Movius Jr. |
Estimated Age:90,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Skhul V |
| Notes:Found with 9 other individuals (intentionally buried) Adult (30-40 years old based on cranial suture and dental wear Presence in Near East before Neanderthals evidence that modern humans did not evolve directly from them |
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Species:Homo sapiens |
Location:Qafzeh Cave Israel |
Discovery Date:1969 |
| Discovered By:Bernard Vandermeersch |
Estimated Age:90,000 ya - 100,000 ya |
Fossil Name:Qafzeh IX |
| Notes:One of oldest known modern humans (proto Cro-Magnon) |
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Species:Homo neanderthalensis |
Location:Forbes Quarry Gibraltar, Spain |
Discovery Date:1848 |
| Discovered By:Unknown |
Estimated Age:Unknown |
Fossil Name:Gibraltar 1 |
| Notes:Enormous nasal opening and first skull examined for unique Neanderthal trait of bony nasal swellings |
