Australopithecus africanus (STS 5) Cranium

sketchfab

Australopithecus africanus lived between 2.1 and 3.3 million years ago. Although now recognized as a likely ancestor to the genus Homo, many scientists initially rejected the idea that this species was part of our evolutionary tree. This model is based on the enigmatic Mrs. Ples, discovered in 1947. This skull measures approximately 6” long x 5” high, with a width of nearly 5”. The cranial capacity for this species was between 460 and 485cc. I created this model for teaching human evolution, and use it in my 3D Hominin Lab. It was modeled by hand in Blender. No photogrammetry or 3D scanning was involved. Watch this space for a link to order the 3D print from Shapeways!