Late Pleistocene Homo
Homo naledi
335–236 ka·99 ka·Discovered 2013
Description
15+ individuals in an almost inaccessible chamber. Intentional burial with a small brain? Debate ongoing.
Notable facts
- Small body, chimp-sized brain
- Access requires squeezing through 17 cm cracks
- The excavation team was 6 slender women
- Did they conduct funerals without complex culture?
Key specimens
Dinaledi assemblage
1550+ fossils
15+ individuals from the Dinaledi Chamber, Rising Star system. Excavated by an all-women "underground astronaut" team.
Anatomy
Small body, ape-like shoulders, primitive pelvis, human-like feet and hands.
Locomotion
Bipedal walker, also adapted for climbing.
Diet
Likely tough plants and possibly small game.
Tools & culture
Possible deliberate body disposal — controversial.
Where to see it
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Media & references
Image ·
Wikimedia Commons · Wikipedia article
Berger et al. (2015). Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa. eLife.
doi: 10.7554/eLife.09560 ↗