Homo naledi skeletal remains come from the underground chambers of the Rising Star cave system, in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site in South Africa.

The most complete H. naledi cranium is from the LES1 skeleton, which comes from the Lesedi Chamber. From the Dinaledi Chamber, the excavation team has uncovered partial remains of at least 15 individuals. In this assemblage, the most complete adult cranium is the DH1 cranium, which is also the holotype of H. naledi. Another notable cranial specimen is the DH3 calvaria. While this is less complete than DH1, it represents a smaller individual with smaller endocranial volume and less marked muscle attachments.

This virtual lab includes these three crania of H. naledi together with a cranium of a modern human for comparison.

As you examine the variation in the H. naledi cranial fossils, consider these questions:

• The DH3 cranium has an estimated volume of 450 ml, while the LES1 cranium is estimated at 610 ml and DH1 at 550 ml. Aside from the size differences, are there other features that may reflect variation in skeletal sex among these fossil crania?
• Which aspect of each fossil is most different from the modern human skull?
• What features of the H. naledi crania are shared with Homo?

Materials in this lab

• The original Homo naledi fossil material is curated at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. The models of DH1, DH3, and LES1 in this virtual lab are based upon 3D surface scan data available from Morphosource. Those models are compatible with 3D printing and research use.
• The model of the human calvaria is based on an anatomical model created by Hannah Newey. The model is available on Sketchfab with a Creative Commons Non-Commercial Share-alike (CC-BY-NC-SA) license. I reduced the polygon count of the model for this virtual lab.

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