Homo habilis discovered in Kenya – 24 February 1961

Homo habilis, the 'Handy Man', was discovered by Louis Leakey, Phillip Tobias and John Napier at Olduvai Gorge in Kenya in 1961. It has since been found in a wide variety of locations along the Rift Valley, as well as at Hadar, Ethiopia, and potential finds at Swartkrans, South Africa.

Homo habilis is dated to between 2.3 and 1.6 m.y.a. Because of its larger cranial capacity, 650-700 cm³, it was considered to be the earliest example of the Homo species. (Homo rudolfensis now considered the oldest, was not discovered until 1972.) It is, however, considered by many paleo-anthropologists to be an advanced form of gracile australopithecine rather than Homo.) The name comes from the interpretation of hand bones which suggest that Homo habilis was capable of a "precision grip" and was likely to be a tool maker and is now associated with Oldowan tool manufacture.