When fossil hunter Bernard Ngeneo came across the remains of
this early human, only the upper portion of the orbits were protruding
from the ground. Excavation revealed one of the best preserved
skulls of this time period, and one of the most striking early
human fossils of any age.
ER 3733 represents a mature female of the early human species
Homo ergaster. The gender identification comes from a comparison
of the anatomical features of her face with another Koobi Fora
for a cranium KNM ER 3883, and the KNM WT 15000 male, found on
the opposite side of Lake Turkana. The features of KNM ER 3733
are markedly less robust. It's known to be an adult on the basis
of the cranial sutures (which were fully closed), the extent of
the wear on the teeth, and the eruption of the third molars before
the individual's death.
