Talgai Skull facts for kids
The Talgai Skull is a very old human fossil. It was found in Australia, near a place called Allora in Queensland. This skull is special because it's one of the first signs of early humans living in Australia. Scientists believe it is about 13,500 years old. They figured this out by studying a nearby rock using a method called radiocarbon dating.
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Discovering the Talgai Skull
The Talgai Skull was found in 1886. A worker named William Naish discovered it on Talgai Homestead. He was building fences when he saw it stuck in the side of Dalrymple Creek. Heavy rain had washed away the soil, revealing the skull. This was the first time such an old human fossil was found in that area.
The Skull's Journey
In 1896, the skull was sent to Sydney. Experts at the Australian Museum looked at it. They wanted to buy the fossil for their collection. However, they couldn't agree on a price with the owner. So, the skull was sent back to the homestead.
New Ideas About the Skull
Years later, in 1914, a professor named Edgeworth David visited Talgai. He was an archaeology expert from Sydney University. Professor David thought the skull was much older, possibly 20,000 years old. He even suggested it could be a "missing link" in human history. This idea was exciting because people were also talking about the "Piltdown man" fossils found in England. Even though the Piltdown find was later proven to be a trick, it made scientists want to find more evidence of early humans.
Studying the Skull
Scientists from places like CSIRO and the Queensland Museum later studied the area where the skull was found. When the skull was first found, it had many cracks. Some people thought these cracks meant the person had been hurt. But later, scientists learned that the cracks were caused by the clay soil. The soil would expand and shrink, making the skull crack over time.
Where to See the Talgai Skull
The real Talgai Skull is kept safe at the Sydney Museum. In 1968, the Australian Broadcasting Commission made a special TV show about the skull. It was called The Talgai Skull and even won an award!
