Australopithecus Collection

Hominid crania
L to R: Australopithecus africanus; Homo rudolfensis; H.erectus; H. heildebergensis; H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens. Arranged in chronological order these specimens (casts)

Australopithecus afarensis (AL 288-1) (Lucy)
A cast of the partial skeleton (nicknamed Lucy) of Australopithecus afarensis found at the Hadar, North East Ethiopia in 1974 by Donald Johanson

Australopithecus afarensis (AL 288-1) (Lucy)
A partial skeleton (nicknamed Lucy) of Australopithecus afarensis found at the Hadar, North East Ethiopia in 1974 by Donald Johanson

The Makapansgat Pebble
Three-million-year-old Makapansgat Pebble from South Africa. Perhaps the most ancient art object in the world. It is said to have been carried over a distance of four kilometers by Australopithecus

Australopithecus and the Rhodesian Man
Reconstructed: Australopithecus and the Rhodesian Man. Links in the chain of human evolution: Australopithecus Africanus (3 ft high on the left), representing the Taungs skull

Illustration of Australopithecus, Homo habilis and Homo sapiens skulls

Footprints and skeleton of Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis). The fossilised bones of the A. afarensis specimen known as Lucy are superimposed over footprints made by the same species. A

Mrs. Ples skull
Mrs. Ples. Reproduction of a skull of a Plesianthropus transvaalensis. Found at Sterkfontein. South Africa

Hominid reconstructions in chronological order
From left to right: Australopithecus, Early Homo erectus (Java Man), Late Homo erectus (Peking Man), Homo heidelbergensis (Rhodesian Man), Neanderthal man and Homo sapiens (Cro-Magnon)

Australopithecus afarensis
Illustration by Maurice Wilson of extinct African hominids (Australopithecus afarensis) living 3-4 million years ago. They walked upright, although they retained the ability to climb trees

Young Australopithecus africanus
Reconstruction drawing of the head of the young Australopithecus africanus, represented by the Taungs skull discovered in Bechuanaland. Date: 1925

Missing Link Skull
Missing link skull between ape and man. Dart came to the world's attention in 1925 with his announced discovery of the skull he named Australopithecus africanus,  (South African ape)

Stages in female human evolution
Human evolution. Artwork of female apes and humans showing some of the stages in human evolution. At left, Proconsul sp. (23-17 million years ago)

Prehistory. Paleolithic. Lucy skeleton. Reproduction
Prehistory. Paleolithic. Lucy. Common name of AL 288-1. Reproduction of the bones representing the skeleton of a female Australopithecus afarensis

Australopithecus boisei (OH5) & Homo habilis (OH24) crania
Two cranium casts of: (left) Australopithecus boisei known as OH5 and (right) homo habilis known as OH24. Both original specimens were discovered within Bed 1 at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

Skulls of Neanderthal, Homo erectus, Australopithecus, Homo sapiens, Chimpanzee skull and human skull, artefacts and hunting tools made of flint

Dr. Broom discovers adult Australopithecus cranium, 1936
An important discovery in South Africa: the brain-cast and parts of the skull of an anthropoid ape with human characteristics. Dr

Jaw of Australopithecus anamensis. Pliocene. Located in Kanapoi, Kenya. Natural History Museum. London. United Kingdom

Illustration of skulls of Australopithecus, Homo erectus and Homo sapiens

Homo Erectus man next to modern human being

Taungs Ape-Man. Artists drawing of Grafton Elliot Smiths (1871-1937) the Australian anatomist and ethnologists idea of appearance of young Australopithecus Africanus

Silberberg Grotto, South Africa, artwork
Silberberg Grotto, South Africa. Computer artwork showing the layout of the Silberberg Grotto in the Sterkfontein cave system of South Africa

Paranthropus robustus cranium (SK 48)
A cast of the cranium belonging to an adult female Paranthropus robustus discovered at Swartkrans, South Africa by Dr. Robert Broom and J.T. Robinson. P. robustus lived around 1.5 million years ago

Australopithecus africanus model
Model of an adult female Australopithecus africanus reconstructed from remains found at Sterkfontein, South Africa. Probably lived about 2.5 million years ago during the Plio-Pleistocene

Australopithecus sp. hip bone
The hip bone (Os coxae) of Australopithecus from Sterkfontein, South Africa

Australopithecus sp. thigh & hip bone

Australopithecus sediba
Exact fossil replicas of two of the most complete skeletons of early human relatives ever found. These replicas come from the University of Witwaterstand

Paranthropus robustus cranium (SK46)
Frontal view of a cast of an adult, probably female, cranium, crushed, with half of braincase, portion of face, palatinum and maxilla. Discovered at Swartkrans, South Africa by Robert Broom and J.T

Australopithecus africanus cranium & mandible (Sts 5)
Cast reconstruction of cranium & mandible belonging to Australopithecus africanus discovered at Sterkfontein by Dr Robert Broom and J.T. Robinson in April 1947

Homo neanderthalensis, Neanderthal Man burial site (Teshik-T
Reconstruction of a Neanderthal (Homo neanderthalensis) burial site based on remains discovered at Teshik-Tash, Uzbekistan dating back 70, 000 years

Australopithecus africanus cranium (Sts 5)
Cast reconstruction of cranium belonging to Australopithecus africanus discovered at Sterkfontein by Dr Robert Broom and J.T. Robinson in April 1947

Australopithecus africanus
Model of an adult female Australopithecus africanus reconstructed from remains found at Sterkfontein, South Africa. Probably lived about 2.5 million years ago

Australopithecus africanus mandible (MLD 2)
Mandible and teeth of an adolescent male (of about 12 years) Australopithecus africanus discovered at Makapansgat by A.R. Hughes and S. Kitching in July 1948

Paranthropus robustus jaw bone
Lower jaws of Australopithecus robustus. A robustus lived between 1.8 and 1.5 million years ago in South Africa

Homo sapiens, Australopithecus, Neanderthal and Pan troglody
A display of models of hominids, including human, Australopithecus, Neanderthal and chimpanzee, on display in the Life Galleries at the Natural History Museum, London

Australopithecus africanus, the Taung child
A cast of a skull of Australopithecus africanus from Taung, Cape Province, South Africa. The original skull, thought to be of a child aged between 3-4 was discovered in 1924 by Raymond Dart

AUSTRALOPITHECUS BOISEI. Species of bipedal ape that lived about 2. 5 million years ago, discovered in 1985 by Dr
AUSTRALOPITHECUS BOISEI. Species of bipedal ape that lived about 2.5 million years ago, discovered in 1985 by Dr. Alan Walker on the western side of Lake Turkana, Kenya

Paranthropus boisei skull
Skull of Paranthropus boisei, formerly called Zinjanthropus boisei then Australopithecus boisei. P. boisei was an early hominid, estimated to have lived 2.6-1.2 million years ago

Endocranial casts of Australopithecus. An endocranial cast is a cast of the inside of the skull, which can form naturally when sediments fill an empty skull

Skulls of Tuang child and a chimpanzee
Tuang child (Australopithecus africanus) and chimpanzee skulls. The Tuang child fossil (left) was discovered in 1924 in Tuang, South Africa. The child, an example of A

Group of hominids, computer artwork
Group of hominids. Artwork of a group of hominids gathering in a clearing. Early hominid species such as Australopithecus sp. were upright walking ape-like creatures

Australopithecus robustus skull
Skull of Australopithecus robustus, front view. A. robustus was a bipedal hominin (human-like primate) that lived in Africa between 2.6

Tuang child skull
Tuang child (Australopithecus africanus)skull. The Tuang child fossil was discovered in 1924 in Tuang, South Africa. The child, an example of A

Skulls of A. africanus and a chimpanzee
Skulls of Australopithecus africanus and a chimpanzee. A. africanus (right) was a bipedal ape living in Africa 3-2 million years ago

Model of an early hominid (Australopithecus sp. )
Australopithecus anamensis. Model of an early female hominid, Australopithecus anamensis. While A. anamensis had an ape-like jaw and brain

Male hominid, computer artwork
Male hominid. Computer artwork of a male hominid. Prehistoric ape-like creatures such as Australopithecus sp. were able to walk on two legs with a fully upright posture

Australopithecus and chimpanzee teeth. Artwork comparing the teeth of an Australopithecus (left) and a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes, right)

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"Australopithecus: Unveiling the Ancient Hominid Legacy" Step back in time and explore the fascinating world of Australopithecus, a genus of hominids that once roamed our planet millions of years ago. From their crania to footprints, these remarkable creatures have left behind an intriguing trail for us to decipher. One iconic specimen is Australopithecus afarensis (AL 288-1), affectionately known as Lucy. This partial skeleton provided invaluable insights into our early ancestors' anatomy and locomotion. With her discovery, scientists gained a deeper understanding of how bipedalism evolved. It also shared the stage with another ancient human ancestor - Rhodesian Man. Together, they painted a vivid picture of our evolutionary journey, showcasing both similarities and differences between species. The Makapansgat Pebble further adds to this narrative by revealing early signs of symbolic thinking within Australopithecus communities. This small stone artifact suggests that these hominids possessed cognitive abilities beyond what was previously believed. Illustrations depicting the skulls of Australopithecus, Homo habilis, and Homo sapiens offer a visual representation of how our lineage has transformed over time. These comparisons highlight key anatomical changes that occurred during human evolution. Footprints preserved in volcanic ash provide yet another glimpse into the lives led by Australopithecus individuals like Lucy. These tracks reveal their walking patterns and social behaviors while leaving us awe-inspired at their existence so long ago. Mrs. Ples skull stands as one of South Africa's most significant fossil finds from this genus. Its discovery shed light on new aspects regarding brain size and cranial features among early hominids. Through meticulous reconstructions presented chronologically, we witness the gradual transformation from primitive forms to more advanced species within the Australopithecus lineage. Each step forward brings us closer to our modern human form.