Mrs Ples

Australopithecus africanus

Estimated age

2.04-2.15 million years

Discovery location

Sterkfontein Caves

Discovered by

Robert Broom and John T. Robinson (1947)

Significance

Mrs Ples (STS 5) is one of the most complete Australopithecus africanus skulls ever discovered, becoming an icon of South African palaeoanthropology.

Scientific interpretation

Originally classified as Plesianthropus transvaalensis by Robert Broom, later reclassified as Australopithecus africanus. Recent studies suggest the specimen may actually be male.

Archaeological evidence

Recovered from the breccia of Sterkfontein and reconstructed from cranial fragments.

Related publications

Broom, R. (1947). Discovery of a new skull of the South African ape-man, Plesianthropus. Nature.
Thackeray, J.F. et al. (2002). Morphometric analyses of the STS 5 (“Mrs Ples”) cranium.

Interactive 3D model

An interactive 3D model of this specimen is coming soon.

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CRADLE OF HUMANKIND

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26°0′S · 27°44′E

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