The Nariokotome Homo Erectus Skeleton [Hardcover]

Alan Walker (Author), Richard E. Leakey (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0387563016 | ISBN-13: 978-0387563015 | Publication Date: October 1995

The partial skeleton of Homo erectus found in Kenya by Alan Walker, Richard Leakey, and others is truly one of the great discoveries in paleoanthropology, after the world's best paleoanthropologists have diligently searched for traces of Homo erectus in Africa and Asia for a century. In this book, the authors present descriptions and photographs of all parts of the skeleton and accompany these with a thorough analysis. It consists of three parts. The first part covers the geology, dating, paleoenvironments, and the taphonomy of the site. The second part is a description of the specimen and a review of other Homo erectus specimens from the Lake Turkana region. The last part is composed of analytical papers on certain aspects of the boy's biology as they apply to other Homo erectus specimens. "What impresses me most about the volume is that apart from the basic description of the fossil, which itself is of great importance, the editors have sought out leading experts to tackle problems relating to specific issues in the evolutionary biology of Homo erectus. Many of these chapters would stand alone as major contributions. Together, they make a remarkable volume that will become a standard reference." (Robert A. Foley, Professor of Biological Anthropology, University of Cambridge)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Walker and Leakey's book brings together contributions by experts in paleobiology, geology, anatomy, anthropology and ecology. It is a stunning detective story, and a satisfying demonstration of the power of the scientific method to give flesh to the past.
--Chet Raymo (Boston Globe )

The information provided by the various studies reported in this volume is of immense value to our knowledge of human evolutionary history. The authors and editors have provided a model for descriptive and comparative analyses against which all subsequent endeavors will be measured. In my opinion, this work will stand as one of the classics of paleoanthropology.
--Fred H. Smith (Science )

What impressed me most about the volume is that, apart from the basic description of the fossil, which itself is of great importance, the editors have sought out leading experts to tackle problems relating to specific issues in the evolutionary biology of Homo erectus. Many of these chapters would stand alone as major contributions. Together, they make a remarkable volume.
--R. A. Foley, University of Cambridge --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Alan Walker is Professor of Anthropology at Pennsylvania State University. A Royal Society and MacArthur fellow, he is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1996, he and Pat Shipman won the prestigious Rhone-Poulenc Award for The Wisdom of the Bones.
--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 332 pages
• Publisher: Springer-Verlag (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387563016
• ISBN-13: 978-0387563015
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Homo erectus - Ape? Man? Or Ape-Man?, June 27, 2000

By 

scott a taylor (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nariokotome Homo Erectus Skeleton (Hardcover)

This book on Homo erectus specimen KNM-WT 15000 is nicely done. Dozens of pictures make for easy comparison to other primates. The pictures are scaled at 90 percent, and are in black and white (which was a let down for [the price]. Some great info and pictures on the dentition of the Turkana specimen are included, including the unusually large roots. This book is not an easy read, but will appeal to those who are familiar with human and primate anatomy.