Journal of Anthropological Sciences最新文献

In the African Pleistocene, the fossil evidence for early Homo sapiens populations is still relatively limited. Here we present two additional specimens (two deciduous teeth) recovered from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) deposits of Sibudu Cave (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa). We describe their morphology and metrics, using three-dimensional models of the teeth obtained from high-resolution micro-CT images. The first specimen is a Ldm₁ (HUM. TO 1) recovered in the BS5 layer dated 77.3±2.7 ka, and associated with stone tools assigned to the "pre-Still Bay" assemblage. The other specimen is a Rdi₁ (HUM. TO 2) coming from the Pinkish Grey Sand (PGS) layer, dated 64.7±2.3 ka, and associated with a Howieson's Poort industry. Both teeth are well preserved, with minor post mortem cracks not affecting the overall morphology, and they comprise the intact, worn crown and the remnants of the roots, naturally resorbed. A large carious lesion occupies most of the distal face and part of the occlusal surface in the Ldm₁; also a chip of enamel is missing from the disto-buccal corner. For both teeth, we compared mesio-distal (MD) and bucco-lingual (BL) diameters with those of other Late Pleistocene deciduous teeth and extant Homo sapiens. The analysis has shown that the teeth are comparable in size with the other MSA specimens described in the literature.

The FLK West sequence is divided into six fluvial stratigraphic levels, each of which provided archaeological materials. In the present paper we outline the major similarities and differences displayed by the lithic assemblages in FLK W, particularly the lower assemblages, which have yielded more objects than the upper ones. The differences noted in the absence-presence and frequency of LCTs may be explained in occupational terms, while the similarities in raw material selection, core reduction and flake retouching patterns indicate homogeneous cultural decisions and cognitive skills. We conclude that these assemblages were likely formed by the same hominin group or taxon and, therefore, the assemblage variability registered would correspond to different expressions of the same economic structure.

The systems of perception and action of the brain appear as important constraining factors in human evolution under current models of embodied cognition. In this view, the emergence of certain items in the archeological record is not necessarily subsequent to the emergence of a 'symbolic' mind, but instead to the appearance of the sensory-motor systems enabling that behavior. One of the products normally absent in pre- Homo sapiens species is the standardized microlith, whose production seems very demanding for the hand due to their small size and need for fine craft. In the present study, we provide preliminary empirical evidence that the biomechanical requirements of microliths manufacture made this industry difficult to achieve by Neanderthals. The biomechanical parameters of the human hand in the manufacture of microliths are here explored in two individuals with different degrees of expertise. The figures obtained in this manner are subsequently contrasted and extrapolated to Neanderthal's hand anthropometric data, as obtained from the available literature. Results indicate that Neanderthals would exhibit lower efficiency than modern humans as a consequence of their smaller hands and shorter arms, resulting in a smaller area to distribute forces and an increased mechanical stress in the microlith manufacturing processes. This might be a plausibly contributing factor for precluding microlith production in Neanderthals on noticeable scales, in consonance with the archeological record.