Taung Baby (Taung Child) Australopithecus africanus skull replica

Replica of the Taung Child Skull (Australopithecus africanus)
Description – Materials & Production:
3D-printed from durable plastic using a detailed digital scan of the original Taung fossil. Hand-painted to precisely recreate the specimen's coloration, texture, and natural damage patterns.
Dimensions:
Full-scale life-sized replica:
130 mm (length) × 80 mm (width) × 95 mm (height) /
5.12" (length) × 3.15" (width) × 3.74" (height)
Jaw:
Non-detachable lower jaw (single-piece model)
Anthropological Significance:
Dating: ~2.8 million years ago
Discovered: 1924, Taung (South Africa)
Importance:

• First Australopithecus fossil ever found
• Key evidence for African human origins
• Brain capacity ~405 cm³ (projected adult ~440 cm³)

Distinctive Features:
Juvenile characteristics:

• Unfused cranial sutures
• Deciduous teeth
• Large eye orbits
• Key evolutionary traits:
• Foramen magnum position (bipedalism)
• Absence of sagittal crest
• Gracile cranial structure

Historical Context:

• Initially rejected by scientific community
• Ultimately proved existence of "missing link"

Applications:

• Study of Australopithecus growth patterns
• Teaching tool for anthropology history
• Comparative analysis with other specimens
• Scientific collectibles

Special Notes:

• Includes display stand
• Accurate reproduction of fossilization marks
• Accompanying informational card