Important Sites

Olduvai Gorge

Tanzania, 1.8–1.6 mya): Most complete and best-studied early hominin site, with fossils of Paranthropus boisei, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus.

Laetoli

Tanzania, 3.6 mya): Preserved hominin footprints demonstrating early bipedalism, associated with Australopithecus afarensis.

Swartkrans

South Africa, ~2 mya): Evidence that multiple hominin species coexisted at the same time, including early Homo and Paranthropus.

Taung

South Africa, ~2.8 mya): Discovery of the Taung Child by Raymond Dart, providing early evidence of bipedalism in Australopithecus africanus.

Dmanisi

Georgia, 1.8 mya): Site of the most primitive and small-brained hominins found outside Africa, identified as early Homo erectus.

Modjokerto

Java, Indonesia, 1.8–1.6 mya): Oldest known Homo erectus fossil from Southeast Asia.

Boxgrove

England, ~480 kya): Oldest Homo fossils found in Britain, along with stone tools and evidence of hunting.

Schöningen

Germany, ~300 kya): Site where the oldest known wooden spears were discovered, indicating advanced hunting behavior.

Dinaledi Chamber / Rising Star

South Africa, 335–236 kya): Discovery site of Homo naledi, a previously unknown hominin species.

East Turkana / Koobi Fora

Kenya, >1.5 mya): Exceptionally rich site preserving numerous hominin fossils and stone tools, including Paranthropus and Homo erectus.

Hadar

Ethiopia, 3.4–2.9 mya): Site where “Lucy” was discovered, providing key evidence for Australopithecus afarensis.

Sangiran Dome

Java, Indonesia, 1.6–1 mya): Important site for Homo erectus fossils, including an upper jaw.

Zhoukoudian

China, 780–230 kya): Largest collection of Homo erectus fossils found anywhere in the world.

Kabwe / Broken Hill

Zambia, ~300 kya): Known for a well-preserved skull of Homo heidelbergensis, showing early evidence of dental cavities.

Fayum

Egypt, Eocene): Important primate site with early strepsirrhine fossils, including lemur- and loris-like ancestors.

Liang Bua

Flores, Indonesia, 100–60 kya): Discovery site of Homo floresiensis, a small-bodied hominin species.

West Turkana

Kenya, ~2.5 mya): Site where the first known member of the Paranthropus lineage, P. aethiopicus, was found.

Sterkfontein

South Africa, 2.6–2.0 mya): Provided strong evidence that Australopithecus africanus was a well-adapted biped.

Nariokotome

Kenya, 1.6–1.5 mya): Site of the nearly complete Homo erectus skeleton known as the Turkana Boy.

Trinil

Indonesia, ~1–0.7 mya): Discovery of a Homo erectus skullcap, among the first early human fossils found.

Atapuerca

Spain, ~1.2 mya): Demonstrates the early presence of hominins in Western Europe, associated with early Homo.

Denisova Cave

Siberia, ~250 kya): Discovery of Denisovans, a genetically distinct group of archaic humans identified through DNA evidence.