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Homo habilis ankle and foot bones (cast)

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Washington, DC, United States

OH 8
Site: Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
Year of Discovery: 1960
Discovered by: A team lead by Louis S. B. Leakey
Age: About 1.8 million years old
Species: Homo habilis

Arch support
By this time, the feet of early humans had a modern-type arch.
Do you see the tooth marks on this ankle bone? Their shape and pattern are similar to those made by modern crocodiles. The back part of the heel bone is bitten off, too. A lake with crocodiles was located not far from where this early human lived. He or she may have been drinking from the lake at the wrong time.

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  • Title: Homo habilis ankle and foot bones (cast)
  • Location: Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa
  • Type: bones
  • Rights: This image was obtained from the Smithsonian Institution. The image or its contents may be protected by international copyright laws. http://www.si.edu/termsofuse
  • External Link: View this object record in the Smithsonian Institution Human Origins Website
  • Scientific Name: <i>Homo habilis</i>
  • Photo Credit: Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History
  • Historic Period: About 1.8 million years old
  • Field: Anthropology
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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