title: Pleistocene human footprints from the Willandra Lakes, Southeastern Australia.
abstract: Human and other hominid fossil footprints provide rare but important insights into anatomy and behavior. Here we report recently discovered fossil trackways of human footprints from the Willandra Lakes region of western New South Wales, Australia. Optically dated to between 19-23 ka and consisting of at least 124 prints, the trackways form the largest collection of Pleistocene human footprints in the world. The prints were made by adults, adolescents, and children traversing the moist surface of an ephemeral soak. This site offers a unique glimpse of humans living in the arid inland of Australia at the height of the last glacial period.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Bond University, Robina, Queensland 4229, Australia.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cupper
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robins
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D004777:Environment; D005528:Foot / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005580:Fossils; D049690:History, Ancient; D015186:Hominidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D009517:New South Wales