Hominid Collection (page 8)

Archaic Homo sapiens cranium (Laetoli 18)
A front view of a cranium belonging to Archaic Homo sapiens dating back to 150, 000 years ago. This specimen known as Laetoli 18 was discovered within the Ngaloba bed at Laetoli in Tanazania

Casts of Australopithecus boisei jaw bones
Casts of Upper jaw (left) of Australopithecus (Paranthropus) boisei from the Olduvai Gorge; lower jaw (right) of Australopithecus (Paranthropus) boisei from Peninj

The Anthropomorpha of Linnaeus
An illustration by Bontius (1658) of early impressions of the Orangutan. The picture was published in Thomas Huxleys Evidence as to Mans Place in Nature (1883)

Homo erectus cranium (Ngandong 12)
The cranium (cast) of a young adult male discovered at Ngandong on the Solo River terrace near Randublatung, Java. It was excavated by C. ter Haar and team in 1931-33. This specimen dates back c

Homo erectus, Java man
A model of Homo erectus, known as Java man, based on fossil evidence found in archaeological sites along the Solo River, Indonesia. The fossils date back to around 500, 000 to 800, 000 years ago

Homo erectus, Peking man
A model head of Homo erectus known as Peking man, based upon evidence discovered at Zhoukoudian Cave (Locality 1), China dating back 500, 000 years. This model was created by Maurice Wilson

Pongo pygmaeus, orangutan and Gorilla gorilla, western goril

Bronze sculpture of Chimpanzee head
Bronze sulpture of Chimpanzee head in the Primate gallery at the Natural History Museum, London

Pongo pygmaeus, bornean orangutan
A specimen of Pongo pygmaeus, bornean orangutan

Homo neanderthalensis, Neandertal Man skeleton
Life size model of a male Neandertal (Homo neanderthalensis) skeleton. This was created using a modified modern human skeleton and replicas of Neandertal fossil bones

Homo neanderthalensis, Neanderthal Man skeleton
Life size model of a male Neanderthal (Homo neanderthalensis) skeleton. This was created using a modified modern human skeleton and replicas of Neanderthal fossil bones

Homo erectus, Peking man cranium (reconstruction)
Reconstruction of a female Homo erectus cranium based upon the remains from many individuals discovered at Zhoukoudian Cave (Locality 1), China dating back 500, 000 years

Pongo pygmaeus, orang-outang
The muscles of the Pongo pygmaeus from Orang-Outang sive Homo Sylvestris: or, The Anatomy of a Pygmie Compared with That of a Monkey, an Ape, and a Man by Edward Tyson, 1699

A Tropical Bathing-Place
Plate 10 taken from The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, illustrated by designs by Joseph Wolf, London 1874

Pan paniscus, pygmy chimpanzee
Photographed by Frank Greenaway

Sivapithecus indicus
Illustration by Maurice Wilson of Sivapithecus indicus, thick coated enamelled apes from Turkey and Indo-Pakistan dating from 13 million years ago

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

Homo sapiens (Predmosti) & Homo neanderthalensis (La Ferrass

Paranthropus boisei (OH5)

Gorilla gorilla, gorilla

Paranthropus sp. (left) and Homo erectus (right)
Illustration by Maurice Wilson. 2 to 1.5 million years ago parts of Africa were populated by these two hominids. Paranthropus foraged peacefully but here is threatened by Homo erectus

Homo neanderthalensis, Neanderthal Man cranium (Neanderthal
Cranium (cast) of Neanderthal 1, the original Neanderthal man discovered by workmen in 1856 in a cave at Neander Valley near Hochdahl, East of Dusseldorf, Germany

Pongo sp. Mandible and molar (Piltdown 1 & 2)
Lateral lingual view of Piltdown 1 mandible with Piltdown 2 left molar. Held at The Natural History Museum, London

Pongo sp. Mandible with canine (Piltdown 1)
Left lateral view of the Piltdown mandible reported to be that of a newly found homind species in 1913 but then revealed as a forgery in 1953. Specimen held at The Natural History Museum, London

Bronze bust of a chimpanzee

Homo sapiens skeleton (Omo 1)
The skeleton of Homo sapiens discovered by Richard Leakeys team in 1967 at Kibish, north west of Camp Kenya, East of the Omo River, Eithiopia. Dated 130, 000 years old

Gorilla, November 1897
The gorilla shown in an aggressive posture became a popular museum highlight. Epitomised in the 1933 film, King Kong, sensationalist reports by early explorers influenced the way these animals were

Homo erectus femur (Trinil)
A cast of a Homo erectus femur originally discovered at the Trinil site on the Solo River, Java, Indonesia by Eugene Dubois between 1891 and 1892

Professor Chris Stringer with four hominid skulls
Top left: Modern Human (Europe). Top right: Modern Human (Africa). Bottom left: Gibraltar Neanderthal, Forbes Quarry. Bottom right: Broken Hiil Skull, Zambia

Homo heidelbergensis (Broken Hill) & Homo erectus pelvis (
Side view comparison of pelvis (ischium) of a male Homo heidelbergensis, (Broken Hill E719) and a cast of Homo erectus Pelvis (OH28) discovered at Olduvai Gorge

Djebel Kafzeh, Qafzeh Cave, Israel
The cave 2.5 km south of Nazareth, Galilee where fossils of early modern Homo sapiens (Homo sapiens sapiens) were found in 1933 by R. Neuville, in 1935 by R. Neuville & M

Homo heidelbergensis mandible (Mauer 1)

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

Homo erectus, Solo Man cranium (Ngandong 1)
The cranium cast of Solo Man discovered at Ngandong close to the Solo River on the island of Java, Indonesia. The specimen belonging to Homo erectus dates back to no later than 800, 000 years ago

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

Sivapithecus & human mandible
A human mandible (on the left) compared with a Sivapithecus mandible. Sivapithecus, an extinct ape from the Miocene, is believed to have lived 9 million years ago

Sivapithecus sivalensis
Fragments of cranium and mandible of an extinct ape-like primate Sivapithecus sivalensis which lived about 8 million years ago. The specimen was discovered in Potwar, Pakistan

A Homo habilis hammerstone
A hammerstone tool discovered at the Olduvia Gorge, Tanzania dating back to between 1.85 million years ago to 1.6 million years ago

Sivapithecus meteai cranial fragment
A lower fragment of the cranium of Sivapithecus meteai showing maxilla, incisors, canine, premolars and molars. This specimen dates back 9 million years and was discovered in Yassorien, Turkey

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

Modern Homo sapiens. A range of human remains (cranial and p
Cranium fragments belonging to Modern Homo sapiens dating back 12, 000 years ago discovered at Goughs Cave, Cheddar Gorge, Somerset

Modern Homo sapiens cranium (Skhul V)
A front view of a cast of Skhul V discovered in 1932 on Mount Carmel, Israel. The original specimen is held at Harvards Peabody Museum. This specimen dates between 80, 000 and 100, 000 years old

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

Hominid Fossil Collection
A sellection of items from the anthropologigical collections at the Natural History Museum, London

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"Hominid: Unraveling the Tapestry of Human Evolution" Delving into the depths of our ancestral past, we encounter the fascinating world of hominids. These enigmatic creatures have left behind a trail of clues that offer glimpses into our own origins and evolution. One such clue is the sensory homunculus, a visual representation mapping out how different areas of our brain correspond to various parts of our body. This intricate map reveals just how interconnected and complex our sensory experiences are as hominids. Another intriguing piece in this puzzle lies within the hominid crania, ancient skulls that provide valuable insights into their physical characteristics and evolutionary progression. Among these remarkable specimens is Australopithecus afarensis (AL 288-1), affectionately known as Lucy, whose discovery shed light on early bipedalism. The famous Trail of Laetoli footprints further confirms this bipedal nature, capturing a moment frozen in time where an Australopithecus walked across volcanic ash millions of years ago. These imprints serve as tangible evidence showcasing one small step towards human-like locomotion. Examining the motor homunculus adds another layer to understanding human evolution. This depiction illustrates how different regions in our brain control specific movements throughout our bodies - a testament to the intricate coordination required for survival and adaptation. Tracing back through stages in human evolution brings us face-to-face with Australopithecus afarensis once again. Through meticulous artwork depicting these ancient beings, we can visualize their appearance and way of life during their time on Earth. Exploring further along this journey uncovers Homo neanderthalensis at Swanscombe in the UK - an opportunity to witness these close relatives engaging in daily activities firsthand through archaeological findings. Their existence serves as a reminder that multiple branches existed simultaneously during certain periods in history.