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Olduvai Hominid 16
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Olduvai Hominid 16

fossil
Also known as: OH 16
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Quick Summary

Olduvai Hominid 16 (OH 16) refers to a fossil skull discovered at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. This fossil, along with others found at Olduvai and in Kenya's Koobi Fora region, has been attributed to Homo habilis, an extinct species of human that lived in sub-Saharan Africa between approximately 2.4 and 1.5 million years ago.1

The OH 16 skull, found in 1963, was significantly damaged by cattle after being washed into a gully, with only the top of the braincase being pieced back together. This fossil, along with others, helped paleoanthropologists understand the evolutionary development between earlier hominins like Australopithecus and more advanced species within the genus Homo. Homo habilis, meaning "handy man," is characterized by a larger cranial capacity compared to Australopithecus, and the presence of simple stone tools found alongside its fossils suggests an ability to manipulate objects precisely.1

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. Homo habilis
  2. Homo erectus - Dating the fossils

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