KNM WT 17000



KNM WT 17000 (AKA The Black Skull) is a fossilized skull of the species Paranthropus aethiopicus. It was discovered in West Turkana, Kenya by Alan Walker in 1985.

It is estimated to be 2.5 million years old.

Its characteristics include a robust build with a prominent sagittal crest. These features initially caused it to be classified as Paranthropus boisei but other features such as the slope of the face and the position of the crest made it more similar to Australopithecus afarensis. For these reasons KNM WT 17000 was given the separate species of aethiopicus. Its coloration is due to the high manganese content of the material it was embedded in.