Ancestor Collection (#8)

Homo erectus, Peking man
A model head of Homo erectus known as Peking man, based upon evidence discovered at Zhoukoudian Cave (Locality 1), China dating back 500, 000 years. This model was created by Maurice Wilson

Homo neanderthalensis, neandertal man
The installation of a cranium (cast) considered to be that of a Neandertal man (Homo neanderthalesis). It was discovered in a cave diposit at Atapuerca-Sima de Los Huesos, Spain

Ichthyosaurus, Plesiosaurus, Stenosaurus and another marine
These reptiles lived during the Jurrassic period, about 150 million years ago. Watercolour by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins

Ichthyosaurus, Plesiosaurus, Stenosaurus
These reptiles lived during the Jurrassic period, about 150 million years ago. Watercolour by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins

Homo neanderthalensis, neanderthal man
The installation of a cranium (cast) considered to be that of a Neanderthal man (Homo neanderthalesis). It was discovered in a cave diposit at Atapuerca-Sima de Los Huesos, Spain

A Swanscombe Hand Axe
One of many hand axes that have been discovered at the Homo neanderthalensis site of Swanscombe, Kent which was inhabited about 500, 000 to 300, 000 years ago

Wupatki Ruins National Monument was home to an Anasazi culture, the ancestors to the Hopi, which began in 1064 AD

The Countess Spencer
Cynthia Elinor Beatrix Spencer (1897 - 1972), known until her marriage as Lady Cynthia Hamilton. The daughter of the third Duke of Abercorn, she married Viscount Althorp (later Earl Spencer) in 1919

Laughing Cavalier / C1930
The laughing Cavalier: the ancestor of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Date: Published: c.1930

PTOLEMAIC WORLD MAP, 1493. Ptolemaic world map, including depictions of Noahs sons, Japhet, Shem and Ham, progenitors of the human race in Judeo-Christian tradition

Human and chimpanzee jaws. Historical artwork comparing the jaws of a modern human (Homo sapiens sapiens, left) and a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes, right)

Artwork of Caudipteryx sp. a bird-like dinosaur
Caudipteryx. Artwork of Caudipteryx sp. a small bird-like dinosaur with feathers. This animal lived in the early Cretaceous period, about 100 to 130 million years ago

Ambulocetus, whale precursor, artwork
Ambulocetus pair swimming, artwork. Ambulocetus, meaning walking whale, lived during the Early Eocene (50 million years ago)

Early tetrapods
Tetrapods. Computer artwork of three tetrapods swimming. The first tetrapods evolved from lobe- finned fish in the late Devonian period, about 360 million years ago

Primitive vertebrate, artwork
Primitive vertebrates, Haikouella lanceolata, artwork. H. lanceolata is an extinct, soft-bodied life-form, discovered in Lower Cambrian (520 million-year-old) deposits in Yunnan Province, China

Australopithecus reconstruction. Head and neck of the early hominid (Australopithecus, from 4-2 million years ago), as reconstructed by Dart in 1926

Australopithecus and gorilla brains. Historical artwork comparing the brain sizes of an early hominid (Australopithecus, from 4-2 million years ago) and a gorilla (brains seen from behind)

Fossil of Archaeopterix, one of the first birds
Archaeopteryx. Computer enhanced image of a fossilised skeleton of Archaeopteryx, a reptile- like bird which is the ancestor of modern birds

Homo heidelbergensis male, artists impression. H. heidelbergensis lived between 600, 000 and 250, 000 years ago in the Pleistocene era

Paranthropus robustus. Artists impression of the skull and face of the early hominid Paranthropus robustus. P. robustus means " robust equal of man"

Taung skull
The original type specimen of Australopithecus africanus, known also as the Taung specimen, discovered in 1924 at a lime quarry near Taung in South Africa

Eves footprints. Cast of fossilised footprints made by an early modern human (Homo sapiens) about 117, 000 years ago. The prints were formed in wet sand by a small person

Homo ergaster behaviour, artists impression. H. ergaster is traditionally considered an early type of H. erectus by scientists. However, there are differences between the early populations of H

Australopithecus afarensis skull, computer artwork. Compared to the modern human skull the skull of A. afarensis had a more prominent brow ridge, a broader, flatter nose

Microraptor dinosaurs flying, artwork. Microraptor is a genus of feathered dinosaurs discovered in Early Cretaceous (128-124 million-year-old) deposits in Liaoning Province, China

Australopithecus africanus. Artists impression of the skull, facial muscle structure and face of an Australopithecus africanus hominid. A

Early invertebrate. Computer artwork of Vetustovermis planus, an invertebrate from the Early Cambrian Period, about 525 million years ago, swimming. A V

Homo heidelbergensis female, artists impression. H. heidelbergensis lived between 600, 000 and 250, 000 years ago in the Pleistocene era

Dimetrodon pair, artwork. Dimetrodon (meaning two-measure tooth ) lived in the early Permian period, around 270 million years ago

Tiktaalik prehistoric fish, artwork
Tiktaalik roseae, computer artwork. This extinct lobe-finned fish lived during the Late Devonian period (375 million years ago). A Tiktaalik roseae fossil was found in the Canadian Arctic in 2004

Homo antecessor. Artists impression of the skull, head and face of an adult male Homo antecessor. The remains of this hominid were discovered in level TD6 of the Gran Dolina archaeological sites in

Dimetrodon, artwork. Dimetrodon (meaning two-measure tooth ) lived in the early Permian period, around 270 million years ago

Taung Child skull. Artwork, from 1931, showing the appearance and size (scale in millimetres) of the fossil skull discovered by Dart in Taung, South Africa, in 1924

1868 Cro Magnon 1 Lartet first discovery
Chromolithograph Cromagnon " Skull of an old man" Plate 1, Section C. Edouard Lartet and Henry Christy. " Reliquiae Aquitanicae" 1865-1875, Williams and Norgate, London 1875

1824 Schinz apes, gibbon, orang, chimp
Contemporary coloured lithograph by Carl Brotdmann of " Der Orang-Uttang", " Der Hooloch" and " Der Shimpanzee" appearing as table 1 in " Naturhistorische

1868 Prehistoric Cromagnon necklace vignt
Chromolithograph of perforated Cromagnon 30, 000 ybp ornaments (shell, ivory). Edouard Lartet and Henry Christy. " Reliquiae Aquitanicae" 1865-1875, Williams and Norgate, London 1875

1809 reprint of Tyson 1698 Chimpanzee
1809 " Black Oran Otan" copper engraving from " Zoological Lectures Delivered at the Royal Institution"

Human evolution. Computer artwork of the skeletons of an ape-like animal and a human (Homo sapiens) separated by a molecule of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and surrounded by images of fossils

Human evolution. Computer artwork of four stages in human evolution. Comparisons of DNA and fossil records suggest that humans and modern African apes evolved from a common ape-like ancestor (left)

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"Journeying through Time: Unveiling the Ancestors" Delving into the rich tapestry of our past, we encounter an ivory mask from Benin, Nigeria. This exquisite artifact was once worn by the revered Oba of Benin on momentous ceremonial occasions. Amidst the ancient rock art at Nourlangie Rock in Kakadu National Park, we come face to face with Namarrgon - the Lightning Man. A supernatural ancestor depicted in Aboriginal culture, his presence resonates within this UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a thought-provoking 1874 Monkey Darwin cartoon by Faustin, we witness a whimsical portrayal of our evolutionary ancestors and their connection to Charles Darwin's groundbreaking theories. Through intricate artwork depicting Australopithecus afarensis, we catch a glimpse of one of humanity's earliest known ancestors who walked upon this Earth millions of years ago. The captivating image showcases a female Australopithecus africanus – reminding us that women played an integral role throughout human evolution and continue to shape our world today. Frozen in time is a dramatic scene where a scimitar cat attacks a hominid; it serves as an eternal reminder of the challenges faced by our early ancestors and their struggle for survival against formidable predators. Haeckel's 1894 Pithecanthropus ape man crop illustration invites us to ponder over Homo heidelbergensis – another link in our ancestral chain that left its mark on prehistoric landscapes across continents. A model affectionately named Lucy takes center stage as she represents Australopithecus boisei – her existence providing valuable insights into human origins and evolution discovered deep within African soil. With grace and strength personified, we encounter Female Homo habilis – showcasing how gender diversity has been ingrained since ancient times among our forebears.