Lothagam mandible

The Lothagam mandible, discovered in Kenya, is a significant hominin fossil fragment. Found in 1967, it is considered one of the oldest known fossils belonging to the human lineage. While fragmentary, its dental roots and proportions suggest a resemblance to later hominins, possibly indicating a link to the Ardipithecus genus, which lived between 4.4 and 5.8 million years ago.1

This specimen, like Ardipithecus, has thin enamel on its molars, distinguishing it from other early hominins. The Lothagam site itself is rich in animal fossils dating from 5.5 to 8 million years ago, indicating a past environment of rivers and woodlands that later transitioned to open grasslands.1

Separately, a mandible found in Ethiopia, dated to 2.8-2.75 million years ago, is the oldest fossil attributed to the genus Homo. This specimen exhibits traits of both Australopithecus and later Homo species, such as smaller teeth and a reduced chin.2