Figure 2.

Fragmentary or unassociated early hominin hand remains. (a) The composite hand of Au. afarensis from various sites in Hadar, Ethiopia. Only metacarpals 2–5 articulate well together and are presumed to be from the same individual. (b) A sample of isolated hand bones from (i) Sterkfontein, generally attributed to Au. africanus and (ii) Swartkrans, associated with either Au. robustus or early Homo. None of the fossils can be associated with the same individual and several elements are not represented in the fossil record. (c) The associated juvenile hand fossils of H. habilis OH 7. Although the phalanges are well represented in the OH 7 hand, little of the thumb and palm is preserved making functional inferences challenging. All known wrist bones shown at bottom and numbers indicate digits 1–5. Note that the phalanges of rays 2–5 cannot be attributed to any particular ray with certainty. All bones are shown in palmar view (apart from the wrist bones) and to the same scale although siding varies. (Online version in colour.)