Hominin Fossils

Este capítulo presenta una descripción sobre el estado del arte y debate actual respecto al origen y evolución de nuestro género. El género Homo abarca un conjunto de especies tempranas transicionales, arcaicas o pre-modernas y nuestra propia especie Homo sapiens. Durante el Pleistoceno, diferentes especies de Homo temprano y pre-moderno habitaron África y Eurasia. La evolución del género se caracteriza por presiones selectivas y cambios en la ontogenia que propician la encefalización y retracción facial, junto con un desarrollo social y cultural complejo. El capítulo tiene como objetivo abordar las siguientes preguntas: ¿Cómo y dónde se origina el género Homo? ¿Cómo se distribuyen cronológica y geográficamente las especies del género? ¿Cuáles son las principales hipótesis filogenéticas? ¿Cómo evolucionan los principales rasgos biológicos y conductuales? ¿Cuándo y cómo emergen los humanos anatómicamente modernos? El capítulo discute las evidencias fósiles y arqueológicas más significativas, así como los avances recientes en paleogenómica.

Recent developments in the field of palaeoanthropology necessitate the suppression of two hominin taxa and the introduction of a new species of hominins to help resolve the current nebulous state of Middle Pleistocene (Chibanian) hominin taxonomy. In particular, the poorly defined and variably understood hominin taxa Homo heidelbergensis (both sensu stricto and sensu lato) and Homo rhodesiensis need to be abandoned as they fail to reflect the full range of hominin variability in the Middle Pleistocene. Instead, we propose: (1) introduction of a new taxon, Homo bodoensis sp. nov., as an early Middle Pleistocene ancestor of the Homo sapiens lineage, with a pan-African distribution that extends into the eastern Mediterranean (Southeast Europe and the Levant); (2) that many of the fossils from Western Europe (e.g. Sima de los Huesos) currently assigned to H. heidelbergensis s.s. be reassigned to Homo neanderthalensis to reflect the early appearance of Neanderthal derived traits in the Middle Pleistocene in the region; and (3) that the Middle Pleistocene Asian fossils, particularly from China, likely represent a different lineage altogether.

At this point, It is worth taking a deep breath and than realize the importance. This mandible fragment is the first Hominin/Hominid remain found in Istanbul.
          There is a “Yarımburgaz Cave Culture” in Istanbul which belongs to  400.000 years ago. It is a Neanderthal culture. But there is no any Neanderthal remain such as hominin bone, tooth, mandible, or etc. There are only tools.
          So, We are taking important steps for the past of the humanity         

          This work developed during the my 15th Researchgate question.
            After this fossilized tooth on a mandible fragment(lower jaw bone) was determined and approved as a molar tooth. I said myself “ Let me collect and edit these datas and knowledge in an article”.
              I am an engineer. Engineers should publish their works with clear knowledge.
            For example, There is a fossil molar tooth on hominin mandible fragment that I found in İstanbul. There is no doubt. I have no hesitation about this.
            And this is the first fossil hominin fragment found in İstanbul. This is so clear. The discovery of this fossil hominin fragment is so important. It has a news value for all of the World. Discovering this fragment makes me honourfull.
              After the 1st molar tooth determination by means of the “mental foreman”  and related approvals, “The first molar” possibility increased to  99%. I hesited to publish this article despite this 99% possibility of 1st molar tooth.  If we saw the roots or root holes of teeth  in the images  of micro-CT Scan,  “The first molar possibility would be 100%.  Despite this hesitation, I decided to publish this article as a draft.       
            Unacceptances at the first stage of my researchgate questions caused me to research and get in the details.  Knowledge about the details and the specific terms in the terminology of a specific field helped me in my descriptions. And new clear photographs of artifacts also helped for acceptances.           
            The field of this article is Dental Bioarchaeology. This field was new for me. But You could face these kind of related fields in a interdisciplinary work.
And you start to learn details and terminology of the field to find the solution.
Achievements come with interdisciplinary works and researches today.         
          We tried to find the truth by means of knowledge which comes from different fields such as dentistry and dental bioarchaeology in this question.
            I think this is the first cooperative work and determination of an archaeological finding/fossil hominin finding which develops on a communication platform like Researchgate.
           
          And there is one more thing.
          I asked 15 questions to determine and clear the important subjects about the findings of Istanbul Maritime PaleoCulture on Researchgate . There was no answer from the related fields from Turkey. All answers, comments, helps, knowledges, and approvals came from the other countries.
          There was no astonishment, excitement, congrutulation, etc. came from Turkey. This discovery was not occured in Mogadishu. I discovered this paleolithic Culture in Istanbul/Turkey.
          It is too difficult to understand this laxness and apathy.
          Also, There is no answer in this "fossilized lower jaw bone(mandible) fragment" question from the archaeology,  paleontology, dentistry from Turkey
          This is the first fossil hominid/hominin remain found in Istanbul.
          Therefore, We saw again that the establishment of “A technical based Inscription Science and Archaeology Research Institute” in Istanbul is a necessity.     

            I had no responsibility against the system, after Istanbul Archaeology Museum didn’t accept to take these findings and said that “these are natural”. I could have thrown back these findings. And these artifacts could have stayed without being known by humanity hundreds of thousands of years. First of all, because of respecting myself, then giving value and importance to science and knowledge and thinking for humanity, I continued. 
            The responsibilty stayed on my shoulders.           
            I have carried the research of Istanbul Maritime PaleoCulture upon my shoulders as Atlas held the sky on his shoulders in mythology.
            I think this is the only one  Research of an archaeological discovery without any budget and income which was carried to this approved point at which an archaeological  discovery approved by means of 11 articles,15 questions and one book in 2.5 years.
          CHAPTERS
            I had’t decided whether I add  two egg-type chinned head sculptures in chapter XI and Chapter XII to this article or not.
            But these are completing knowledge. I wanted to show these evidences together for readers to understand better the head and face of The Istanbul Hominin who has egg-type chin and wide mouth , but  was so intelligent and art-lower species. I thought that adding these chapters will be usefull.               
            Therefore  I courageously added these two egg type chinned head sculptures  to this article. The face sculpture which has a huge mouth in the Chapter XI  is the first hominin/hominid face sculpture found in the World. 
            In fact, I had completed this article. But, While I was trying to determine the places of the absent teeth on the fossilized mandible, I realized a regular pentagon on this fossilized mandible.
            It was difficult to decide whether to add this data to this article or not. Then, I decided to share the photographs of this regular pentagonal hole  with the feeling of scientific responsibility. And I added a new chapter for this regular pentagon to this article.   
            Moreover, I added a x-ray radiograpf of this mandible  as an appendix.
          SPECIES
            It seems that there are more than one species in the archaeological layers of Istanbul Maritime PaleoCulture. The deepest layer is  Early Lower Paleolithic. These species could be from different layers or from the same layer.               
            And we could see from the datas in these articles that “Istanbul is not a crossroad of paleolithic migrations, Istanbul is the root of paleolithic migrations”.
            It seems there are a lot of hominid/hominin/human migrations from Istanbul Maritime PaleoCulture to the all of the World. And, We see that last 3 paleolithic migrations are at appoximatey 12.000 years ago. 1.Clovis Culture(I showed the evidences in my 6th article), 2.Cro-Magnon Culture(7th article) 3.Göbeklitepe Culture(10th article).
            We could see these from the samenesses and similarities of the artifacts.  I explaned and showed these 3 migration paths in 3 articles.
          There could be a natural disaster such as the disaster at the Clovis-Comet Hyphotesis.

            RESEARCH INSTITUTE
            This part of the research of Istanbul Maritime PaleoCulture caused me to understand the importance of  Dental Bioarchaeology.         
          And it seems that “Dental Bioarchaeology” course is a necessity for the interdisciplinary programs of The Research Institute which is one of the most necessities for İstanbul and the future of this research.
            Because, The most important and rich knowledge comes from the dental remains such as teeth and mandible to determine the characteristics of the species.
            This course and a bioarchaeology laboratory which includes  micro-CT scan and peripherial x-ray imaging systems should be added to this Project. These will be in the 5th version of this Project.
            We should start to realize The Project of “Establishing A Technical based Inscription Science and Archaeology Research Institute” which was prepared.. We are repeating our slogan here “Humanity waits us”.

                                                                      N.Derya Varol
                                                                  6th of June, 2018
                                                                          İstanbul

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Join me in an #analysis of "Catching Fire: How #Cooking Made Us Human," by Richard Wrangham, and see if this amazing and innovative use of a natural force, has led us to where we are today!

This paper presents some new results concerning the Middle Palaeolithic in Romania. Recent research on loess‐paleosoil sequences and tephra deposits has provided an accurate picture on the geochronology of the Pleistocene. Reliable absolute ages indicate that some Middle Palaeolithic occupations are much older than previously assumed, namely they date back to the Middle Pleistocene. Lithic industries, both coming from old and recent excavations were (re)interpreted from new perspectives, other than cultural‐historical ones. The study of fauna still leaves to be desired, as it needs to go beyond mere taxa identification. Many loci that have yielded surface collections of lithics that could belong to the Middle Palaeolithic indicate a great potential for discovering new sites in Romania. Cuvinte‐cheie: Paleolitic Mijlociu, România, geocronologie, datări radiocarbon, arheozoologie, analiză litică, fosile umane Rezumat: Acest articol prezintă câteva rezultate recente privind cercetarea Paleoliticului Mijlociu din România. Noi cercetări asupra secvențelor de loessuri și paleosoluri, precum și asupra nivelurilor de cenușă vulcanică au contribuit la crearea unei imagini mult mai exacte privind geocronologia Pleistocenului. Noi datări absolute arată că unele situri de Paleolitic Mijlociu sunt mai vechi decât fusese estimat anterior, având vârste din Pleistocenul Mijlociu. Industriile litice provenite atât din săpături vechi cât și recente au fost re/interpretate din noi puncte de vedere, diferite de perspectiva cultural‐ istorică. Studiile de arheozoologie pentru această perioadă lasă în continuare de dorit, deoarece în multe situații ele constau doar din simple identificări la nivelul speciei. Numeroasele locuri în care a fost descoperit material litic la suprafață, atribuibile Paleoliticului Mijlociu indică un mare potențial pentru descoperirea de situri noi din această perioadă.

The primacy of fossils in the Natural History Museum (NHM) goes back to the very origins of the Museum, but the first fossil hominins in the collections were probably the Upper Palaeolithic remains from Bruniquel, which were accessioned in 1864. This founded a collection which has continued to expand into this century. While there have been many compilations and descriptions of the fossil hominin collection at the
NHM over its long history, to our knowledge no-one has prepared a review of the collection itself. The intention of the current paper is to synthesize earlier sources with accounts of new finds, revised chronologies and rediscovered treasures in order to illustrate the breadth and continuing importance of the fossil hominins curated at the NHM. We list and discuss all the hominin material known or thought to pre-date the Holocene. These form a collection of great importance, both in terms of their research value and history of science. With the application of new investigative techniques such as aDNA and microCT, the material remains central to palaeoanthropological research in the 21st Century.

Definition: A controversial Middle Pleistocene (~780-130 ka) hominin species, part of the same genus (Homo) as extant humans. Introduction: The taxonomy and phylogeny of Homo heidelbergensis is much debated (for a review see Stringer, 2012), so much so that this period in human evolution has been dubbed the 'muddle in the Middle [Pleistocene]'. There is little agreement on which specimens should be included in H. heidelbergensis (that is to say, the group of specimens which constitute what is known as its 'hypodigm'), nor even whether it constitutes a valid species at all. Many Middle Pleistocene hominins (taxa more closely related to H. sapiens than to chimpanzees) share primitive features with earlier species, such as H. erectus, but also share derived traits with later Pleistocene specimens such as H. sapiens and Neanderthals (e.g., Rightmire, 2013). This mosaic morphology has led researchers to group them together as a single Afro-European species designation: H. heidelbergensis. Some have also suggested that additional Asian Middle Pleistocene fossils may extend the range of H. heidelbergensis (e.g., Stringer, 2012). One reason for the great interest in H. heidelbergensis is that the Middle Pleistocene is the epoch during which the H. sapiens lineage split from our sister taxa, the Neanderthals and Denisovans and H. heidelbergensis has long been considered a possible last common ancestor (LCA) for these two lineages (Buck & Stringer, 2014; Mounier et al., 2009; Rightmire, 2008; Stringer, 2012). Knowing the identity of the LCA would allow us to see which differences between our own species and Neanderthals are derived in which lineage, enabling us to better understand our own evolution and that of our closest relatives.

There is considerable variation in mid-late Pleisto-cene hominin paranasal sinuses, and in some taxa distinctive craniofacial shape has been linked to sinus size. Extreme frontal sinus size has been reported in mid-Pleistocene specimens often classified as Homo heidelbergensis, and Nean-derthal sinuses are said to be distinctively large, explaining diagnostic Neanderthal facial shape. Here, the sinuses of fossil hominins attributed to several mid-late Pleistocene taxa were compared to those of recent H. sapiens. The sinuses were investigated to clarify differences in the extent of pneu-matisation within this group and the relationship between sinus size and craniofacial variation in hominins from this time period. Frontal and maxillary sinus volumes were measured from CT data, and geometric morphometric methods were used to identify and analyse shape variables associated with sinus volume. Some mid-Pleistocene specimens were found to have extremely large frontal sinuses, supporting previous suggestions that this may be a diagnostic characteristic of this group. Contrary to traditional assertions, however , rather than mid-Pleistocene Homo or Neanderthals having large maxillary sinuses, this study shows that H. sapiens has distinctively small maxillary sinuses. While the causes of large sinuses in mid-Pleistocene Homo remain uncertain, small maxillary sinuses in H. sapiens most likely result from the derived craniofacial morphology that is diagnostic of our species. These conclusions build on previous studies to overturn long-standing but unfounded theories about the pneumatic influences on Neanderthal craniofacial form, whilst opening up questions about the ecological correlates of pneumatisation in hominins. Résumé Les sinus paranasaux des hominines du Pléisto-cène moyen final présentent une variation morphologique considérable. Chez certains taxons, la taille des sinus semble-t-être liée à une morphologie craniofaciale particu-lière. Les fossiles du Pléistocène moyen, souvent rattachés au taxon H. heidelbergensis, présentent des sinus frontaux de taille extrêmement importante. Cette caractéristique est partagée avec les Néandertaliens, chez qui une taille impor-tante des sinus frontaux semble expliquer la forme spécifi-que de leur morphologie faciale. Dans cette étude, nous comparons les sinus d'hominines attribués à plusieurs tax-ons du Pléistocène moyen final à ceux d'H. sapiens récents. Les sinus ont été étudiés pour clarifier les différences dans l'étendue de la pneumatisation au sein de ce groupe et la relation entre la taille des sinus et la variation craniofaciale chez les hominines de cette période. Les volumes des sinus frontaux et maxillaires ont été mesurés à partir de données tomodensitométriques, et des méthodes de morphométrie géométrique ont été utilisées pour identifier et analyser les variables de conformation associées au volume sinusal. Cer-tains spécimens du Pléistocène moyen ont des sinus fron-taux extrêmement grands, ce qui renforce l'hypothèse pré-cédemment suggérée selon laquelle des sinus de grandes

The fossil record of early Homo sapiens in the African Pleistocene remains sparse. In contrast to its prominent position regarding
the cultural evolution of our species, southern Africa plays a secondary role in narratives regarding human biological origins.
Reasons for this are a limited and fragmentary fossil record from the Middle Stone Age (MSA), further complicated by a number
of human remains coming from contexts lacking chronostratigraphic information. Similar to the southern African MSA overall,
the rich archeological deposits of Sibudu stand in opposition to its scarce record of hominin fossils. Here, we report on three
human teeth (SIB-1, 2, 3) from securely stratified MSA deposits at Sibudu dating between > 77 and 64 ka. The teeth include two
lower deciduous molars (Ldm2) with heavy occlusal wear and one fragment.We focus on describing the find and archeological
context, followed by an initial assessment of the fossils and their contextualization within the African record. The juvenile teeth
derive from rich and well-stratified archeological deposits, associated with a Howiesons Poort industry at ~ 64 ka from PGS3
(SIB-3) and pre-Still Bay occupations in strata Casper and Danny at > 77 ka (SIB-1, 2). The latter constitute the oldest human
fossils from Sibudu. Metric and morphological analyses of the Ldm2s (SIB-2, 3) find a combination of archaic traits (e.g., midtrigonid
crest) and crown dimensions that overlap with ranges of both Pleistocene and recent Homo sapiens. These results match
with a population of Homo sapiens that lies chronologically between the earliest members of the species and recent humans.

The cranium (Broken Hill 1 or BH1) from the site previously known as Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia (now Kabwe, Zambia) is one of the best preserved hominin fossils from the mid-Pleistocene. Its distinctive combination of anatomical features, however, makes its taxonomic attribution ambiguous. High resolution microCT, which has not previously been employed for gross morphological studies of this important specimen, allows a precise description of the internal anatomical features of BH1, including the distribution of cranial vault thickness and its 2 internal composition, paranasal pneumatisation, pneumatisation of the temporal bone and endocranial anatomy. Relative to other chronologically and taxonomically relevant specimens, BH1 shows unusually marked paranasal pneumatisation and a fairly thick cranial vault. For many of the features analysed, this fossil does not exhibit the apomorphic conditions observed in either Neandertals or Homo sapiens. Its morphology and the general shape...

0047-2484/$ e see front matter 2011 Elsevier Ltd. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2011.08.002 In the preceding comment, Holton et al. (2011) cast doubt on the results reported by Rae et al. (2011) on the absence of cold adaptation in the facial skeleton of Neanderthals. Four specific claims in particular deserve to be addressed, to clarify the position of the present authors and the precise nature of the new data reported by Holton et al. Holton et al. interpret our findings as “incorrectly assum[ing] that paranasal sinuses play an important role in respiratory physiology”. We assumed no such thing; in fact, members of our group previously published two separate papers (Rae et al., 2003, 2006) showing that it is very unlikely that sinuses have anything to do with respiratory function. Oddly enough, both of these papers are also cited by Holton et al. Bothworks, however, are clear in showing that extreme cold stress has a demonstrable, predictable effect on the paranasal sinuses, whatever their ‘function’. This effect is not seen in Neanderthals. The focus of the research of Holton et al. has been the nasal cavity proper. By ‘ignoring’ this region, the authors suggest that we have missed the big picture.1 Our interpretation, understandably, is different. We are well aware that previous work by Franciscus and colleagues has suggested that some aspects of the Neanderthal internal nasal region suggest cold adaptation. We are also aware that other anatomical features associated with climate (including external nasal anatomy) show exactly the opposite pattern. This is precisely why their previous contribution was entitled “The paradox of a wide nasal aperture in cold-adapted Neanderthals”. Our contribution was intended to test those two alternative interpretations using another anatomical region, still with a demonstrable relationship with extreme cold stress, but that had not been

Many antelopes have an excellent sense of smell, and our human relatives such as Paranthropus robustus may have associate themselves with those antelope species during the day to avoid predation by lions, leopards and carnivores. This helps to explain why robust australopithecines successfully survived for nearly a million years on the Highveld of South Africa.

In 1912, palaeontologist Arthur Smith Woodward and amateur antiquarian and solicitor Charles Dawson announced the discovery of a fossil that supposedly provided a link between apes and humans: Eoanthropus dawsoni (Dawson's dawn man). The publication generated huge interest from scientists and the general public. However, ‘Piltdown man's’ initial celebrity has long been overshadowed by its subsequent infamy as one of the most famous scientific frauds in history. Our re-evaluation of the Piltdown fossils using the latest scientific methods (DNA analyses, high-precision measurements, spectroscopy and virtual anthropology) shows that it is highly likely that a single orang-utan specimen and at least two human specimens were used to create the fake fossils. The modus operandi was found consistent throughout the assemblage (specimens are stained brown, loaded with gravel fragments and restored using filling materials), linking all specimens from the Piltdown I and Piltdown II site...

Understanding the timing and character of the expansion of Homo sapiens out of Africa is critical for inferring the colonization and admixture processes that underpin global population history. It has been argued that dispersal out of Africa had an early phase, particularly ~130-90 thousand years ago (ka), that reached only the East Mediterranean Levant, and a later phase, ~60-50 ka, that extended across the diverse environments of Eurasia to Sahul. However, recent findings from East Asia and Sahul challenge this model. Here we show that H. sapiens was in the Arabian Peninsula before 85 ka. We describe the Al Wusta-1 (AW-1) intermediate phalanx from the site of Al Wusta in the Nefud desert, Saudi Arabia. AW-1 is the oldest directly dated fossil of our species outside Africa and the Levant. The palaeoenvironmental context of Al Wusta demonstrates that H. sapiens using Middle Palaeolithic stone tools dispersed into Arabia during a phase of increased precipitation driven by orbital for...

We report the occurrence at 0.7 million years (Ma) of an ichnological assemblage at Gombore II-2, which is one of several archaeological sites at Melka Kunture in the upper Awash Valley of Ethiopia, 2000 m asl. Adults and children potentially as young as 12 months old left tracks in a silty substrate on the shore of a body of water where ungulates, as well as other mammals and birds, congregated. Furthermore, the same layers contain a rich archaeological and palaeontological record, confirming that knapping was taking place in situ and that stone tools were used for butchering hippo carcasses at the site. The site gives direct information on hominin landscape use at 0.7 Ma and may provide fresh perspective on the childhood of our ancestors.

In 1912, palaeontologist Arthur Smith Woodward and amateur antiquarian and solicitor Charles Dawson announced the discovery of a fossil that supposedly provided a link between apes and humans: Eoanthropus dawsoni (Dawson's dawn man). The publication generated huge interest from scientists and the general public. However, ‘Piltdown man's’ initial celebrity has long been overshadowed by its subsequent infamy as one of the most famous scientific frauds in history. Our re-evaluation of the Piltdown fossils using the latest scientific methods (DNA analyses, high-precision measurements, spectroscopy and virtual anthropology) shows that it is highly likely that a single orang-utan specimen and at least two human specimens were used to create the fake fossils. The modus operandi was found consistent throughout the assemblage (specimens are stained brown, loaded with gravel fragments and restored using filling materials), linking all specimens from the Piltdown I and Piltdown II site...

The wide bodies of Neandertals, characterized by broad, voluminous chests, and medio-laterally (M-L) wide pelves, are commonly considered a derived condition that arose primarily as an adaptation to a strenuous lifestyle in cold, high-latitude environments. The designation of a morphological pattern as apomorphic relies on a correct assessment of the character states of hominins that came before and those that came after; i.e., other archaic hominins and modern humans. Given recent fossil hominin discoveries, the autapomorphic status of the Neandertal body pattern perhaps requires some revision. The present study first examined the degree to which Plio-Pleistocene hominins, including Neandertals, possess body plans that consist of trunks and pelves that were both absolutely wide (i.e., the dimensions of the trunk and pelvis scaled together tightly). Then, a sample of modern humans (n=98) was used to investigate the relationships and patterns of scaling between body size and variables related to the size and shape of the chest and pelvis, in order to determine whether the modern human pattern differs from that of fossil hominins.  Results suggest that modern humans, instead of Neandertals, possess a derived pattern that is more variable in terms of how the dimensions of the upper and lower trunk scale with one another, as well as with body size. Finally, the current study explored possible adaptive scenarios that contextualize the development of the derived modern human morphological pattern.

The femoral neck-shaft angle (NSA) varies among modern humans, both between and within population groups, and also among fossil hominins. Recent research has focused on whether differences in average NSA between groups may reflect variation in body shape at the population level due to long-term environmental adaptations — notably with regard to Bergmann’s Rule — or whether, instead, such variation is attributable to the influence of differing lifestyles and habitual activity patterns. Existing studies examining possible climatic trends in the NSA have reported ambiguous findings, but these have been hampered by measurements issues and limited population sampling. The present study addresses these problems, and it reports findings from an extensive global database comprising over 8,000 femora representing some 100 modern human groups. Analyses in relation to climatic indices show large-scale environmental patterning of variation in the NSA at the global, continental and regional levels. Average NSA values are higher in the Pacific and Africa, for example, and are lower in the Americas. Climatic trends are evident also within each of the continents and regions, consistent with predictions based on Bergmann’s Rule.

The cranium (Broken Hill 1 or BH1) from the site previously known as Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia (now Kabwe, Zambia) is one of the best preserved hominin fossils from the mid-Pleistocene. Its distinctive combination of anatomical features, however, makes its taxonomic attribution ambiguous. High resolution microCT, which has not previously been employed for gross morphological studies of this important specimen, allows a precise description of the internal anatomical features of BH1, including the distribution of cranial vault thickness and its 2 internal composition, paranasal pneumatisation, pneumatisation of the temporal bone and endocranial anatomy. Relative to other chronologically and taxonomically relevant specimens, BH1 shows unusually marked paranasal pneumatisation and a fairly thick cranial vault. For many of the features analysed, this fossil does not exhibit the apomorphic conditions observed in either Neandertals or Homo sapiens. Its morphology and the general shape...

Objectives: The curve of Spee (COS) is a mesio-distally curved alignment of the canine through dis-tal molar cusp tips in certain mammals including modern humans and some fossil hominins. In humans, the alignment varies from concave to flat, and previous studies have suggested that this difference reflects craniofacial morphology, including the degree of alveolar prognathism. However, the relationship between prognathism and concavity of the COS has not been tested in craniofacially variant populations. We tested the hypothesis that greater alveolar prognathism covaries with a flatter COS in African-American and European-American populations. We further examined this relationship in fossil Homo including Homo neanderthalensis and early anatomically modern Homo sapiens, which are expected to extend the amount of variation in the COS from the extant sample. Methods and Materials: These hypotheses were tested using three-dimensional geometric mor-phometrics. Landmarks were recorded fro...

The Rising Star cave system has produced abundant fossil hominin remains within the Dinaledi Chamber, representing a minimum of 15 individuals attributed to Homo naledi. Further exploration led to the discovery of hominin material, now comprising 131 hominin specimens, within a second chamber, the Lesedi Chamber. The Lesedi Chamber is far separated from the Dinaledi Chamber within the Rising Star cave system, and represents a second depositional context for hominin remains. In each of three collection areas within the Lesedi Chamber, diagnostic skeletal material allows a clear attribution to H. naledi. Both adult and immature material is present. The hominin remains represent at least three individuals based upon duplication of elements, but more individuals are likely present based upon the spatial context. The most significant specimen is the near-complete cranium of a large individual, designated LES1, with an endocranial volume of approximately 610 ml and associated postcranial ...

Understanding the timing and character of the expansion of Homo sapiens out of Africa is critical for inferring the colonization and admixture processes that underpin global population history. It has been argued that dispersal out of Africa had an early phase, particularly ~130-90 thousand years ago (ka), that reached only the East Mediterranean Levant, and a later phase, ~60-50 ka, that extended across the diverse environments of Eurasia to Sahul. However, recent findings from East Asia and Sahul challenge this model. Here we show that H. sapiens was in the Arabian Peninsula before 85 ka. We describe the Al Wusta-1 (AW-1) intermediate phalanx from the site of Al Wusta in the Nefud desert, Saudi Arabia. AW-1 is the oldest directly dated fossil of our species outside Africa and the Levant. The palaeoenvironmental context of Al Wusta demonstrates that H. sapiens using Middle Palaeolithic stone tools dispersed into Arabia during a phase of increased precipitation driven by orbital for...

Bipedalism is a defining trait of the hominin lineage, associated with a transition from a more arboreal to a more terrestrial environment. While there is debate about when modern human-like bipedalism first appeared in hominins, all known South African hominins show morphological adaptations to bipedalism, suggesting that this was their predominant mode of locomotion. Here we present evidence that hominins preserved in the Sterkfontein Caves practiced two different locomotor repertoires. The trabecular structure of a proximal femur (StW 522) attributed to Australopithecus africanus exhibits a modern human-like bipedal locomotor pattern, while that of a geologically younger specimen (StW 311) attributed to either Homo sp. or Paranthropus robustus exhibits a pattern more similar to nonhuman apes, potentially suggesting regular bouts of both climbing and terrestrial bipedalism. Our results demonstrate distinct morphological differences, linked to behavioral differences between Austral...

There is considerable variation in mid-late Pleistocene hominin paranasal sinuses, and in some taxa distinctive craniofacial shape has been linked to sinus size. Extreme frontal sinus size has been reported in mid-Pleistocene specimens often classified as Homo heidelbergensis, and Neanderthal sinuses are said to be distinctively large, explaining diagnostic Neanderthal facial shape. Here, the sinuses of fossil hominins attributed to several mid-late Pleistocene taxa were compared to those of recent H. sapiens. The sinuses were investigated to clarify differences in the extent of pneumatisation within this group and the relationship between sinus size and craniofacial variation in hominins from this time period. Frontal and maxillary sinus volumes were measured from CT data, and geometric morphometric methods were used to identify and analyse shape variables associated with sinus volume. Some mid-Pleistocene specimens were found to have extremely large frontal sinuses, supporting pre...

We report the occurrence at 0.7 million years (Ma) of an ichnological assemblage at Gombore II-2, which is one of several archaeological sites at Melka Kunture in the upper Awash Valley of Ethiopia, 2000 m asl. Adults and children potentially as young as 12 months old left tracks in a silty substrate on the shore of a body of water where ungulates, as well as other mammals and birds, congregated. Furthermore, the same layers contain a rich archaeological and palaeontological record, confirming that knapping was taking place in situ and that stone tools were used for butchering hippo carcasses at the site. The site gives direct information on hominin landscape use at 0.7 Ma and may provide fresh perspective on the childhood of our ancestors. Ref: F. Altamura, M.R. Bennett, K. D’Août, S. Gaudzinski-Windheuser, R.T. Melis, S.C. Reynolds, M. Mussi, 2018. Archaeology and Ichnology at Gombore II-2, Melka Kunture, Ethiopia: everyday life of a mixed-age hominin group 700,000 years ago, in S...