Homo erectus skull Sangiran 17 (1 to 1.6 million years)

The Homo erectus skull Sangiran 17 was discovered in 1969 by Mr. Towikromo in Java, Indonesia, and first described in 1971 by S. Sartono as Pithecanthropus erectus (Pithecanthropus 8).  In the book From Lucy to Language, Johanson and Edgar write, "Once it was reconstructed, Sangiran 17 constituted the best-preserved hominid cranium from Java and the only known adult male Homo erectus from anywhere" (p. 205).  Its features include a long, low cranium with thick bones, flat frontal bone with large browridges, a raised sagittal keel, an occipital torus, skull widest near the base, projecting face, and cranial capacity slightly over 1,000cm³.  Although the view is not generally accepted today, it was once suggested that this Java Man evolved in place and then passed on its traits to its descendants, Homo sapiens, which then migrated to Australia some 50,000 years ago.  In our recreation we have tried to duplicate all those features and details that appear in the original specimen and make it such an important link to modern man.

Stand available - see product code SBH018.

Model size: 23(L) x 14(W) x 15(H) cm

The Bone Clones® Hominid Series

Our aim is to provide the best possible facsimile models of the most important hominid finds for the general public, educators and students, using the best reference material available.  Each hominid has been carefully researched and re-created based on some or all of the following: casts of original fossils, the latest literature (descriptions and/or published measurements), input from the scientific community and full colour, life-size photographs.  Every effort has been made to accurately re-create anatomical details of colour, size, shape, reconstructed areas, and bone/fossil texture.  The hominids offered in this series are high quality, artistic recreations that can be advantageously used by educators as important visual aids in the classroom and appreciated by the general public.  They are not intended for advanced graduate work nor to be measured for research purposes.

(Information courtesy Bone Clones, Inc)