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| Species: | Homo erectus |
| Age: | 1.6-0.7 million years |
| Date of Discovery: | 1937 |
| Location: | Sangiran, Java, Indonesia |
| Discovered by: | GHR von Koenigswald |
Sangiran 2 is fossil braincase with a partially preserved supraorbital torus over the left eye. It is a more complete specimen than the Trinil braincase (Trinil 2). Its cranial capacity has been measured at around 815 cc, which is significantly smaller than the Trinil individual. This has caused some speculation that the individual was immature at death, or perhaps a small female. The low and broad cranial vault and the "flexed occiput" -- the nub-shape at the extreme rear of the skull -- are characteristic of Homo erectus.
Dating the fossils at Sangiran is extremely difficult, with sediment ages (based on different methods and localities) ranging from 1.8 million to 700,000 years ago. It is unlikely that the two extremes represent the actual age of the beds, and an older limit of 1.6 million years is reasonalble. Still, other scientists think that the age is closer to von Koenigswald's estimate of around 700,000 years.
