List of human evolution fossils


The following tables give an overview of notable finds of hominin fossils and remains relating to human evolution, beginning with the formation of the tribe Hominini in the late Miocene, roughly 7 to 8 million years ago.
As there are thousands of fossils, mostly fragmentary, often consisting of single bones or isolated teeth with complete skulls and skeletons rare, this overview is not complete, but shows some of the most important findings. The fossils are arranged by approximate age as determined by radiometric dating and/or incremental dating and the species name represents current consensus; if there is no clear scientific consensus the other possible classifications are indicated.
The early fossils shown are not considered ancestors to Homo sapiens but are closely related to ancestors and are therefore important to the study of the lineage. After 1.5 million years ago, all fossils shown are human. After 11,500 years ago, all fossils shown are Homo sapiens, illustrating recent divergence in the formation of modern human sub-populations.

[Late Miocene] (7.2–5.5 million years old)

The chimpanzee–human divergence likely took place around 10 to 7 million years ago. The list of fossils begins with Sahelanthropus, dated some 7 million years ago, which may or may not be ancestral to both the human and the chimpanzee lineage, although its status as a hominin or a hominin ancestor remain debated. For the earlier history of the human lineage, see Timeline of human evolution#Hominidae, Hominidae#Phylogeny.

ImageNameAge SpeciesYear
discovered		CountryDiscovered byNow located at
TM 266 7.00–6.00Sahelanthropus tchadensis2001Chad
Site:Djurab Desert		Alain Beauvilain, Fanone Gongdibe, Mahamat Adoum and Ahounta DjimdoumalbayeN'Djamena, BEAC
BAR 1000'006.1–5.7Orrorin tugenensis2000Kenya
Site:Lukeino		Martin Pickford, Kiptalam Cheboi, Dominique Gommery, Pierre Mein, Brigitte Senut-
ALA-VP 1/205.65±0.150Ardipithecus kadabba1997Ethiopia
Site:Middle Awash		Yohannes Haile-Selassie

The Trachilos footprints from the island of Crete as well as the Graecopithecus fossils are not included in the list due to taxonomic uncertainty.

[Pliocene] (5.3–2.58 million years old)

ImageNameAge SpeciesYear
discovered		CountryDiscovered byNow located at
Ardi4.40Ardipithecus ramidus1994EthiopiaYohannes Haile-Selassie
Lothagam mandible 4.60±0.40Australopithecus sp. or undetermined Hominidae1967KenyaArnold Lewis, Bryan Patterson
KNM-TH 131504.70±0.55Orrorin praegens1984KenyaKiptalam Cheboi
KNM-KP 2714.00Australopithecus anamensis1965Kanapoi, KenyaBryan Patterson
Laetoli Footprints3.70Bipedal hominin1976TanzaniaMary Leakey
LH 43.40±0.50Australopithecus afarensis1974Laetoli, TanzaniaMary Leakey
KSD-VP-1/1 3.58Australopithecus afarensis2005EthiopiaYohannes Haile-Selassie
KT-12/H1 3.50Australopithecus bahrelghazali1995ChadMamelbaye Tomalta and Michel BrunetN'Djamena, BEAC
KNM-WT 22944 G-J3.50Australopithecus sp.1990KenyaMultinational teamNational Museums of Kenya
KNM-WT 40000 3.50-3.20Kenyanthropus platyops1999Lake Turkana, KenyaJustus Erus and Meave Leakey
BRT-VP-3/143.40±0.10Australopithecus deyiremeda2015EthiopiaYohannes Haile-Selassie
Stw 573 3.67Australopithecus prometheus1994Sterkfontein, South AfricaRonald J. Clarke
DIK-1 3.30Australopithecus afarensis2000EthiopiaZeresenay Alemseged
AL 288-1 3.20Australopithecus afarensis1974EthiopiaTom Gray, Donald Johanson, Yves Coppens and Maurice TaiebNational Museum of Ethiopia
AL 200-13.10±0.10Australopithecus afarensis1975Afar Region, EthiopiaDonald Johanson Yves Coppens and Maurice Taieb
AL 129-13.10±0.10Australopithecus afarensis1973Afar Region, EthiopiaDonald Johanson
AL 444-23.00Australopithecus afarensis1992Afar Region, EthiopiaYoel Rak
LD 350-12.775±0.025Homo2013EthiopiaChalachew Seyoum
Taung Child 13.03–2.61Australopithecus africanus1924Buxton-Norlim Limeworks, South AfricaRaymond DartUniversity of the Witwatersrand

[Pleistocene]

[Lower Paleolithic]: 2.58–0.3 million years old

NameAge SpeciesDate
discovered		CountryDiscovered byNow located at
KNM-WT 17000
2.50Paranthropus aethiopicus1985KenyaAlan Walker
BOU-VP-12/1302.50Australopithecus garhi1997EthiopiaYohannes Haile-Selassie
LD-7602.63Australopithecus sp. indet.2025Ethiopia
STS 712.61–2.07Australopithecus africanus1947Sterkfontein, South AfricaRobert Broom and John T. RobinsonDitsong National Museum of Natural History
STS 522.61–2.07Australopithecus africanus1947Sterkfontein, South AfricaRobert BroomDitsong National Museum of Natural History
UR 501 2.40±0.10Homo rudolfensis1991MalawiTyson Msiska, Timothy Bromage, Friedemann Schrenk
STS 5
2.07Australopithecus africanus1947Sterkfontein, South AfricaRobert BroomDitsong National Museum of Natural History
DNH 134 2.04Homo erectus2015Drimolen Main Quarry, South AfricaAndy Herries' team University of the Witwatersrand
DNH 1552.04–1.95Paranthropus robustus2018Drimolen Main Quarry, South AfricaAndy Herries and Stephanie Baker's team University of the Witwatersrand
DNH 1522.04–1.95Paranthropus robustus2018Drimolen Main Quarry, South AfricaAndy Herries and Stephanie Baker's team University of the Witwatersrand
DNH 7
2.04–1.95Paranthropus robustus1994Drimolen, Drimolen Main Quarry, South AfricaR. Smith and André KeyserUniversity of the Witwatersrand
KNM-ER 640602.03Homo habilis2012Ileret, Kenya
KNM-ER 640612.02Homo habilis2012-2013Ileret, Kenya
TM 15172.0Paranthropus robustus1938South AfricaGert TerblancheDitsong National Museum of Natural History
MH1 1.98Australopithecus sediba2008Malapa, South AfricaMatthew Berger and Lee Rogers BergerUniversity of the Witwatersrand
KNM-ER 18131.90Homo habilis1973KenyaKamoya Kimeu
KNM-ER 14701.90Homo rudolfensis1972KenyaBernard Ngeneo
SK 482.25–1.80Paranthropus robustus1948Swartkrans, South AfricaRobert BroomDitsong National Museum of Natural History
SK 462.25–1.80Paranthropus robustus1949Swartkrans, South AfricaRobert BroomDitsong National Museum of Natural History
SK 8472.25–1.80Homo habilis1949Swartkrans, South AfricaDitsong National Museum of Natural History
OH 24
1.80Homo habilis1968TanzaniaPeter Nzube
OH 81.80Homo habilis1960Olduvai, Tanzania
D2700 1.81±0.40Homo erectus2001Dmanisi, GeorgiaDavid Lordkipanidze and Abesalom Vekua
D3444 1.81±0.40Homo erectus2003Dmanisi, GeorgiaDavid Lordkipanidze
D4500 1.81±0.40Homo erectus2005 Dmanisi, GeorgiaDavid Lordkipanidze
KNM-ER 62000–620031.84±0.60Homo rudolfensis2012Koobi Fora, KenyaMeave Leakey's team
KNM-ER 640621.84±0.02Homo erectus2013Ileret, Kenya
OH 5
1.75Paranthropus boisei1959TanzaniaMary Leakey
OH 7 1.75Homo habilis1960TanzaniaJonathan and Mary Leakey
StW 531.8–1.6variously A. africanus, H. habilis, H. gautengensis1976Sterkfontein, South AfricaA. R. HughesUniversity of the Witwatersrand
KNM-ER 18051.74Homo habilis1973/4KenyaPaul Abell
Yuanmou Man1.70
or 0.60–0.50
Homo erectus1965ChinaFang Qian
KNM-ER 4061.70Paranthropus boisei1969KenyaRichard Leakey
KNM-ER 7321.70Paranthropus boisei1970KenyaRichard Leakey
KNM-ER 230001.70Paranthropus boisei1990Koobi Fora, KenyaBenson Kyongo
KNM-WT 174001.70Paranthropus boiseiNot knownLake Turkana KenyaunknownNational Museums of Kenya, Nairobi
KNM-ER 37331.63±0.15Homo ergaster 1975Kenya
Lantian Man1.62±0.03Homo erectus1963Lantian County, ChinaWoo Ju-Kang
KNM-WT 15000
1.60Homo ergaster 1984Lake Turkana, KenyaKamoya KimeuKenya National Museum
Peninj Mandible1.50Paranthropus boisei1964TanzaniaRichard Leakey
Ileret Footprints1.50Homo erectus2007-2014Ileret, Kenya
KNM-ER 9921.50Homo ergaster 1971KenyaRichard Leakey
KNM-ER 38831.57±0.08Homo erectus1976KenyaRichard Leakey
Mojokerto 1
1.43±0.10Homo erectus1936IndonesiaAndojo, G.H.R. von Koenigswald
BL02-J54-1001.40Similar to H. heidelbergensisUnknownSpainUnknown
KGA 10-5251.40Paranthropus boisei1993Konso-Gardula, EthiopiaA. Amzaye
OH 9
1.40Homo erectus1960Olduvai, TanzaniaLouis Leakey
Sima del Elephante maxilla1.40Homo erectus?2022Spain
OH 801.34Paranthropus boisei2010Olduvai Gorge, TanzaniaManuel Dominguez-RodrigoNational Museum of Tanzania
ATE9-11.20Homo sp. or Homo erectus?2008SpainEudald CarbonellMuseo de la Evolución Humana, Burgos
Kocabaş1.10Homo erectus2002TurkeyM. Cihat Alçiçek
Daka1.00Homo erectus1997EthiopiaHenry Gilbert
Sangiran 41.00Homo erectus1939IndonesiaG.H.R. von Koenigswald
Sangiran 21.15±0.45Homo erectus1937IndonesiaG.H.R. von Koenigswald
Madam Buya1.00Homo erectus1997EritreaErnesto AbbateNational Museum of Eritrea
ATD6-15 and ATD6-69
0.900Homo antecessor
or
Homo erectus		1994SpainBermúdez & ArsuagaMuseo de la Evolución Humana, Burgos
Trinil 2
Pithecanthropus-1
or
Java Man		0.850±0.150Homo erectus1891IndonesiaEugène DuboisNaturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden
Ternifine 2-3 now Tighennif0.70Homo erectus1954AlgeriaC. Arambourg & B. Hoffstetter
Sangiran 170.70Homo erectus1969IndonesiaS. Sartono
Peking Man0.73±0.50Homo erectus1921ChinaDavidson BlackLost/stolen
Heidel0.60Homo Aeserniensis or Homo Heidelbergensis2014ItalyNational Paleolithic Museum of Isernia
Nanjing Man0.60±0.02Homo erectus1993ChinaLiu Luhong
Bodo0.600Homo heidelbergensis
or
Homo erectus		1976EthiopiaA. Asfaw
Benjamina0.53Homo neanderthalensis2001-2001SpainAna Gracia Téllez
Mauer 1
0.50Homo heidelbergensis1907GermanyDaniel HartmannInstitute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University
Saldanha man0.50Homo rhodesiensis1953South Africa
Boxgrove Man0.50Homo heidelbergensis1994UKNatural History Museum
Arago 21
0.45Homo erectus1971FranceHenry de Lumley
Ceprano Man0.450±0.050Homo cepranensis
/Homo heidelbergensis		1994Ceprano, ItalyItalo BiddittuServizio di antropologia, Soprintendenza ai beni culturali, Regione Lazio, Italy
Agamenón0.43Homo neanderthalensis1997SpainPaleontological teamsMuseo de la Evolución Humana, Burgos
Miguelón0.40Homo neanderthalensis1992SpainBermúdez, Arsuaga & CarbonellMuseo de la Evolución Humana, Burgos
Aroeira 30.40Homo heidelbergensis2014PortugalMuseu Nacional de Arqueologia, Lisbon
Salé cranium0.40-0.20Homo sapiens?1971MoroccoQuarry worker
Swanscombe Man0.40Homo neanderthalensis1935, 1936, 1955UKAlvan T Marston, John J Wymer and Adrian GibsonNatural History Museum
Ndutu0.45±.04Homo neanderthalensis affinities1973TanzaniaAmini Aza Mturi
Hexian Man0.412±0.025Homo erectus1980-1981Hexian, China
BH-10.40Homo heidelbergensisMala Balanica, Serbia
Gawis cranium0.350±0.150Homo erectus/Homo sapiens2006EthiopiaAsahmed Humet
Steinheim Skull0.35Homo heidelbergensis1933Germany
Dinaledi Chamber hominins0.325±0.090Homo naledi2013South AfricaRick Hunter and Steven TuckerUniversity of the Witwatersrand