OH 24
OH 24 or Twiggy is a fossilized skull of the species Homo habilis. It was discovered in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania by Peter Nzube in 1968. The skull was found crushed almost flat and was therefore named after the famously skinny model of the time Twiggy. Estimated at 1.8 mya, the cranium was found crushed flat and cemented together with a mass coating of limestone. It is now a Smithsonian exhibit item.
Remnants
Originally, there was very little interest placed on the discovery of the skull, but after much effort by scientist Ron Clarke, the skull was finally reconstructed and examined thoroughly. Despite this effort, there still is a good deal of distortion from the fossilization processes that took place. The small cranial capacity estimated at 590-600 cc is in part attributed to this cranial distortion. OH 24's face is described as being prognathic, as in other fossils from the Homo habilis family, but not quite to the extent of earlier Australopithecus species. Besides manifesting lesser prognathism than the australopithecines, OH 24 also portrays a larger cranial vault, indicating an expansion in brain size from its ancestor, and the reduction of facial prognathisim typical of the evolution of early Homo.The individual's third molars had erupted, which indicates that OH 24- "Twiggy" was an adult at death. Yet, these molars show no sign of wear, indicating that this individual died soon after the eruption of these molars. Like the other fossils of Homo habilis, OH 24 also manifests the slightly small teeth set in a U-shaped arch.