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Reference.org
List of human evolution fossils
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<p>The following tables give an overview of notable finds of <a href="/facts/Hominini/SflaMavS">hominin</a> <a href="/facts/Fossil/by7NzIA1">fossils</a> and <a href="/facts/Skeleton/FXc9Y2lF">remains</a> relating to <a href="/facts/Human_evolution/DNzlDyKe">human evolution</a>, beginning with the formation of the tribe Hominini (the divergence of the <a href="/facts/Chimpanzee%25E2%2580%2593human_last_common_ancestor/zm5pcUtw">human and chimpanzee lineages</a>) in the late <a href="/facts/Miocene/cBRRzq4g">Miocene</a>, roughly 7 to 8 million years ago. </p><p>As there are thousands of fossils, mostly fragmentary, often consisting of single bones or isolated teeth with complete skulls and skeletons rare, this overview is not complete, but shows some of the most important findings. The fossils are arranged by approximate age as determined by <a href="/facts/Radiometric_dating/bDFjdPqV">radiometric dating</a> and/or <a href="/facts/Incremental_dating/rzKf8jBU">incremental dating</a> and the species name represents current consensus; if there is no clear scientific consensus the other possible classifications are indicated. </p><p>The early fossils shown are not considered ancestors to <i><a href="/facts/Homo_sapiens/rlcTENsr">Homo sapiens</a></i> but are closely related to ancestors and are therefore important to the study of the lineage. After 1.5 million years ago (extinction of <i><a href="/facts/Paranthropus/7R9W8ABU">Paranthropus</a></i>), all fossils shown are human (genus <i><a href="/facts/Homo/qvJtEBr2">Homo</a></i>). After 11,500 years ago (11.5 ka, beginning of the <a href="/facts/Holocene/sppPgwW5">Holocene</a>), all fossils shown are <i><a href="/facts/Homo_sapiens/rlcTENsr">Homo sapiens</a></i> (<a href="/facts/Anatomically_modern_humans/AxD254MP">anatomically modern humans</a>), illustrating <a href="/facts/Recent_human_evolution/ucwGEBgl">recent divergence</a> in the formation of <a href="/facts/Human_genetic_variation/bgU0WXSf">modern human sub-populations</a>. </p>