hominid.gallery Atlas · Edition 2026
7,000,000 years Live data
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Early Homo

Homo rudolfensis

2.4–1.8 Ma·600 ka·Discovered 1972
Location
Kenya, Lake Turkana
Coordinates
4.070, 36.200
Brain
750 cc
Height
155 cm

Description

KNM-ER 1470. Flatter face and larger brain than H. habilis. Species status remains debated.

Notable facts

  • Reconstructing its cranium took years
  • Larger brain than H. habilis
  • Some see it as late Kenyanthropus
  • The "muddle in the middle" of genus Homo

Key specimens

KNM-ER 1470
Reconstructed cranium
Initially misdated, reconstructed by Bernard Wood. Flat face and large brain.

Anatomy

Flat face, larger brain, parabolic dental arch.

Locomotion

Bipedal.

Diet

Omnivorous with increasing meat content.

Where to see it

Nairobi National Museum.

Media & references

Homo rudolfensis (KNM-ER 1470) · Anthro-Paleo-UCDenver · CC-BY-4.0 · view on Sketchfab ↗
Wood (1992). Origin and evolution of the genus Homo. Nature. doi: 10.1038/355783a0 ↗