The Nariokotome Boy (KNM-WT 15000). Cranial Study and Reconstruction of Appearance

DOI: 10.33876/2311-0546/2025-3/362-378

Authors

Keywords:

skull from Nariokotome III, Homo ergaster, Homo erectus, anthropological reconstruction, appearance

Abstract

This work is devoted to the study of the cranium from Nariokotome III (KNM-WT 15000), Kenya, known as Nariokotome Boy. It focuses on the study of cranial morphology with an emphasis on supraorbital and zygomaxillary regions and the individual’s appearance reconstructed from the skull. A comparative analysis with other ancient crania was carried out using the craniotrigonometric protocol developed by one of the authors (SV). The appearance of Nariokotome III is characterized by a very narrow and sloping forehead, a medium-developed brow ridges, a tall and narrow face, a horizontal eyes position, a very wide nose and a wide interorbital distance, a large mouth with thick lips, a sloping chin and strongly protruding ears. There is a strong prognathism of the maxilla and mandible. The Nariokotome III cranium demonstrates mosaic characteristics of the supraorbital region, characteristic of both the Front Asian forms and the pithecanthropus of Southeast Asia. In the zygomaxillary region, Nariocotome III exhibits more erectoid characteristics. Some traits of the supraorbital and zygomaxillary regions are characteristic of Neanderthals. Craniotrigonometric analysis showed that Nariocotome III occupies an intermediate position between Homo habilis and Homo ergaster, being especially close to OH 24 and Dmanisi 2700 crania. The results of the study suggest that taxonomically the Nariokotome Boy is intermediate between the Homo habilis/Homo rudolfensis and Homo ergaster taxa.

Author Biographies

  • Olga Grigorieva, the Russian Academy of Sciences N. N. Miklouho-Maklay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology

    Grigorieva, Olga M. — Ph.D. in Biology, Senior Researcher, the Russian Academy of Sciences N. N. Miklouho-Maklay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology (Moscow, Russian Federation). E-mail: labrecon@yandex.ru ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1113-8171

  • Sergey Vasilyev, the Russian Academy of Sciences N. N. Miklouho-Maklay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology

    Vasilyev, Sergey V. — Doctor of Historical Sciences, prof., Chief Researcher, the Russian Academy of Sciences N. N. Miklouho-Maklay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology (Moscow, Russian Federation). E-mail: vasbor1@yandex.ru ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0128-6568

    For citation: Grigorieva, O. M., and S. V. Vasilyev. 2025. The Nariokotome Boy (KNM-WT 15000). Cranial Study and Reconstruction of Appearance // Herald of Anthropology (Vestnik Antropologii) 3: 362–378.

    Funding: The article is published as part of the Research Plan of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology (Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow) «Patterns of Human Population Differentiation in Space and Time».

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Published

23.09.2025

Issue

No. 3 (2025): Herald of Anthropology (Vestnik antropologii)

Section

Physical anthropology