Image: ‘Turkana Boy’ Homo ergaster skull
Discovered: 1984 by Kamoya Kimeu in Nariokotome, West Turkana, Kenya.
The Turkana Boy or ‘Nariokotome Boy’ as he is sometimes called, lived about 1.5 million years ago. He was about 9 to 12 years of age when he died but was already 1.6 metres tall and may have reached 1.85 metres as an adult. Almost 90% of his skeleton was recovered and has provided valuable information on this species’ body size, proportions and development. The Turkana Boy had a tall, slender body adapted for striding out across the extensive savannah plains. He also had a more human-like face with a nose that projected outwards and a larger braincase.
- Photographer:
- Stuart Humphreys
- Rights:
- © Australian Museum
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