Turkana Boy, the designation given to fossil KNM-WT (Kenya National Museum-West Turkana), is a nearly complete skeleton of a 12-year-old hominid boy who died 1.6 million years ago. The skeleton was discovered in 1984 by a team led by Richard Leakey near Lake Turkana in Kenya. The only bones missing were those of the hands and feet.


The shape of the pelvis indicates that it was a male. Based on dental eruption and lack of any epiphyseal union of the skull, the age can be determined to be about 12 years old.

The shape of the pelvis indicates that it was a male. Based on dental eruption and lack of any epiphyseal union of the skull, the age can be determined to be about 12 years old.

The skeleton was about 5 1/2 ft. tall; though he might have been 150 pounds and 6 ft. tall had he lived to adulthood.

The cranial capacity of Turkana Boy was about 880 ml, although if he would have lived to adulthood it would have been about 910 ml.

Turkana Boy lived at the halfway point between ape primates and human primates.

Turkana Boy is classified as either Homo erectus or Homo ergaster.