Timestone
5
3.8 to 2.9 million years ago
Australopithecus afarensis
This is the first hominid species for which
we have a large sample of fossils. The fossil bones provide strong
evidence of a primate that walked on two legs.
This australopithecine had many ape-like features. Its teeth and molars
were large and its cranial capacity (indicating brain size) was small-about
the size of a softball. However, the position of the foramen magnum
and the pelvis, knee, and thigh bones showed that this species walked
on two legs. Bipedal walking was our hominid ancestors' first step
toward becoming human.
Sculptural replica
of fossil skull (composite of three males)
Australopithecus afarensis
Fossils found in Hadar, Ethiopia, in Africa, in 1976 by Donald Johanson
and his team. Replica sculpted by Steven Wagner.
Age: 3 million years
"Lucy"
Australopithecus afarensis
A spectacular find.
When Lucy's skeleton was found in 1974, it was the most complete
and best-preserved early hominid ever found. Scientists knew
nothing about this species before Lucy. With a partial skeleton-nearly
40% complete-they could tell a lot about her and how her species
lived.
Many bones tell a more complete story
From Lucy's arm and finger bones, scientists could tell that
she spent time in the trees. The length of her arms and legs
were more like those of chimps. However, her foot was not chimp-like
and her spine, pelvis, knee, and foot bones showed that she
walked upright on two legs, more like today's humans. She was
a mosaic of ape and human traits-a member of a unique
Lucy's name
Her nickname came from the Beatles' song
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, which was playing at the researchers'
camp when they returned with the fossil. Lucy's Ethiopian name
is Dinquinesh, which means "wonderful thing."
|
"Lucy"
Reconstruction
Artist: William Munns
Lucy was a full-grown adult about 3.5
feet (1 m) tall and weighed about 60 pounds (27 kg). Her small
size indicated that she was female (males were larger). She
spent some time in trees, but on the ground she walked on two
legs.
 |
|
|
