Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis) Reconstruction

3D Model

Reconstruction of AL 288-1 “Lucy,” Australopithecus afarensis Johanson, White, and Coppens, 1978

Locality: Hadar, Ethiopia

This partial skeleton, discovered in 1974, represents a hominin that lived 3.2 milion years ago. Lucy’s pelvis and lower limb bones indicate bipedal (two-legged) movement, but her skeleton retains other features that would have been useful for climbing in trees.

One of the most important fossil finds in the study of human evolution, Lucy was discovered by former Cleveland Museum of Natural History curator Dr. Donald Johanson. At the time, Lucy was the oldest and most complete early human ancestor ever found.

Reconstruction by: CMNH Exhibits

Scanners: Artec Leo, Artec Space Spider

Post-processing by: Heather Vidmar-McEwen, CMNH

Scans by: Hailey Majewski, Jillian Schwab, Heather Vidmar-McEwen, & Kimber Watkins, CMNH