Homo ergaster


Homo ergaster

Anatomically, the African Homo ergaster is similar to the Eurasian Homo erectus. The differentiation comes in the higher cranial vault and lighter frame and facial structure of H. ergaster, as well as in the earlier dates with which ergaster is associated. For the case made in this listing, all erectus-like specimens from African will fall under the classification of Homo ergaster. One of the truly more amazing finds in the history of east african paleoanthropology is the Nariokotome Boy, found by K. Kimeu, Alan Walker, and Richard Leakey at Nariokotome III, West Turkana, Kenya. This find represents a nearly full skeleton of an ergaster youth, dating to between 1.51 and 1.56 million years. More recent work has revealed some comparatively H. ergaster-like traits, out of Dmanisi, Georgia. the two crania matchup well next to the African ergasters enough to fall under the same category. Homo ergaster, itself, dates to between 1.7 and 1.5 million years.

The Fossils:

From Dmanisi, Georgia:

	D2280 Cranium ~Found in 1999 at Dmanisi, Georgia

	D2282 Cranium ~Found in 1999 at Dmanisi, Georgia

From Koobi Fora, Kenya:

	KNM-ER 730 Skull Fragments ~By M. G. Leakey in 1970, at Koobi Fora, Kenya ~Traits correlate with both ergaster on one hand, and erectus on the other

	KNM-ER 731 Mandible Fragment

	KNM-ER 819 Mandible Fragment ~Although placed in the general classification of Homo, is also a candidate for boisei. Because of its greater robusticity, it is placed into ergaster instead of habilis

	KNM-ER 820 Juvenile Mandible ~Dentition compared closely to the erectus specimen from Zhoukoudian. This specimen is placed by many under the H. erectus classification

	KNM-ER 992 Mandible ~Found by C. Groves and V. Mazak in 1975 at Koobi Fora, Kenya ~Dated to 1.5 million years ~KNM-ER 992 is the type specimen for Homo ergaster picture and reference credit

	KNM-ER 1466 Left Side of Cranial Vault ~Thick and rather robust features could also place this specimen with H. erectus or even as a robust H. sapiens

	KNM-ER 1478 Cranial Fragments ~Highly eroded, this piece has proved to be hard to identify, yet has been place under the genus Homo

	KNM-ER 1593 Skull Fragments

	KNM-ER 1648 Parietal Fragment

	KNM-ER 1808 Adult Skull Fragments

	KNM-ER 1811 Mandibular Fragments

	KNM-ER 1812 Mandible Fragments

	KNM-ER 1821 Right Parietal Fragment

	KNM-ER 2592 Left Parietal Fragments

	KNM-ER 2595 Right Parietal Fragment

	KNM-ER 2598 Occipital Fragment

	KNM-ER 3733 Cranium ~Revealed in 1975 by the Koobi Fora Research Project at East Turkana, Kenya ~Dated to 1.8 million years picture credit

	KNM-ER 3734 Mandibular Fragments

	KNM-ER 3883 Partial Cranium ~Found by Richard Leakey at Koobi Fora, Kenya ~Dated to between 1.4 - 1.6 million years picture credit

	KNM-ER 3889 Mandible Fragment

	KNM-ER 3892 Frontal and Parietal ~Robusticity places it in comparison with that of Asian Erectus

	KNM WT 15000 Partial Skeleton ~The cranium was found by K. Kimeu in 1984, while the remainder was found by Alan Walker and Richard Leakey over the next three years at Nariokotome III, West Turkana, Kenya ~Dated to between 1.51 - 1.56 million years picture credit

From Olduvai, Tanzania:

	OH 9 Partial Cranium ~Discovered in 1960 by Louis Leakey at Olduvai, Tanzania ~Dated to 1.2 million years picture credit

	OH 13 Fragmented Skull ~By Louis Leakey in 1963 at Olduvai ~Dated to 1.5 million years

From Swartkrans, South Africa:

	SK 847 Partial Cranium ~Found at Swartkrans in 1969 by Ronald Clarke ~Dated to 1.5 million years picture and reference credit


Click here to continue with Homo antecessor Click here to see other Eastern African fossil hominid specimens Click here to see other Southern African fossil hominid specimens Click here to return to the main page

A. ramidus ~ A. anamensis ~ A. afarensis ~ A. africanus ~ A. gahri ~ A. bahrelghazali ~ P. boisei ~ P. aethiopicus ~ P. robustus ~ H. habilis ~ H. rudolfensis ~ H. erectus ~ H. ergaster ~ H. antecessor ~ H. heidelbergensis ~ H. neanderthalensis ~ H. sapiens
Southern Africa ~ Eastern Africa ~ North Central Africa ~ Asia ~ Europe/Northwestern Africa

Steven Heslip ~ 2001 ~ heslipst@msu.edu