LUCY AND HER RELATIVES: The Emergence of Humans

  THE EXHIBIT

Nicknamed "Lucy" by her discoverers in 1974, the most complete skeleton of a 3-million-year-old hominid was a milestone in the search for human ancestors. Using scientific casts of Lucy and other major fossil finds from Africa and Europe, this exhibit traces the physical and cultural changes of human ancestors from 3 million years ago to about 20,000 years ago.

HOMINID FOOTPRINTS. (32K)

These 3.6 million-year-old hominid footprints in volcanic ash were made by Australopithecus afarensis in what are now known as the Laetoli Beds of Tanzania. The larger footprint is actually two. Scientists have determined that they were made by two individuals -- one 4 feet, 8 inches, tall (a male?) and the other about 4 feet tall (a female?).

The footprints show a striding gait with arched feet, rounded heels, and pronounced and forward-pointing big toes -- all characteristics of human, not ape, walking.

STONE TOOLS. (27K)

These chopper and flake tools from Koobi Flora, Kenya, were shaped from lava cobbles about 2 million years ago.

ARCHAIC HUMAN SKULL. (30K)

Homo Sapiens (archaic) skull, ca. 200,000 years old, from Broken Hill (Kabwe), Zambia. The cranial capacity of this adult male skull measures 1280 cc.

  SELECTED WEB RESOURCES

	Anthro.Net - Eric J. White
	Anthropology Resources on the Internet - Bernard-Olivier Clist
	Becoming Human - Institute of Human Origins
	In Search of Human Origins - NOVA Online Part One Part Two Part Three
	Leakey Foundation
	Overview of Human Evolution - Washington State University

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