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Science· 2014Q1

Neandertal roots: Cranial and chronological evidence from Sima de los Huesos

Juan Luís Arsuaga, Ignacio Martı́nez, Lee J. Arnold, Arantza Aranburu et al.

Short summary

Seventeen Middle Pleistocene crania from Sima de los Huesos, dated to ~430,000 years ago, reveal a consistent pattern of derived Neandertal features in the face and anterior vault, suggesting facial modification was an early step in Neandertal evolution.

AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.

Key points

  • Seventeen Middle Pleistocene crania from Sima de los Huesos were analyzed, including seven new specimens.
  • The hominin-bearing layer was dated to around 430,000 years ago.
  • The sample exhibits a consistent morphological pattern with derived Neandertal features in the face and anterior vault.
  • These features are linked to the masticatory apparatus, indicating early modifications in facial structure.

AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.

Abstract

Seventeen Middle Pleistocene crania from the Sima de los Huesos site (Atapuerca, Spain) are analyzed, including seven new specimens. This sample makes it possible to thoroughly characterize a Middle Pleistocene hominin paleodeme and to address hypotheses about the origin and evolution of the Neandertals. Using a variety of techniques, the hominin-bearing layer could be reassigned to a period around 430,000 years ago. The sample shows a consistent morphological pattern with derived Neandertal features present in the face and anterior vault, many of which are related to the masticatory apparatus. This suggests that facial modification was the first step in the evolution of the Neandertal lineage, pointing to a mosaic pattern of evolution, with different anatomical and functional modules evolving at different rates.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Science, 2014 · DOI ↗

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Field: Anthropology

AnthropologySocial Sciences