ORRORIN TUGENENSIS: ONE OF THE EARLIEST WALKERS
A step toward being human
Around 6 million years ago, this landscape preserved evidence of one of the earliest human ancestors. The most important fossils found here are those of Orrorin tugenensis, meaning “original man” in Tugen.
This ancient landscape shows where Orrorin tugenensis lived and where its fossils were found. The lake, forests and valleys created a mosaic of habitats, an important setting for early human evolution.
Why It Matters
Orrorin hints that our ancestors were already walking on two legs over 6 million years ago, much earlier than once believed.
