Prehistoric Ethiopia

species of archaic humans believed to be extinct in a pure form

extinct hominid

fossilized skeleton of a female Australopithecus afarensis

Ardipithecus is a genus of an extinct hominine that lived during the Late Miocene and Early Pliocene epochs in the Afar Depression, Ethiopia. Originally described as one of the earliest ancestors of humans after they diverged from the last common ancestor shared with chimpanzees, the relation of this genus to human ancestors and whether it is a hominin is now a matter of debate. Two fossil species are described in the literature: A. ramidus, which lived about 4.4 million years ago during the early Pliocene, and A. kadabba, dated to approximately 5.6 million years ago (late Miocene).

proposed subspecies within the genus Homo

Hominin species

extinct hominid species

species of mammal (fossil)

Homo sapiens fossils

Fossilized mandible

Hominin fossil bone/teeth collection