A re-appraisal of Ceprano calvaria affinities with Homo erectus, after the new reconstruction

Ascenzi, A.; Mallegni, Francesco; Manzi, Giorgio; Segre, Aldo; Naldini, Eugenia Segre

doi:10.1006/jhev.2000.0425

Cited by 67 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…These traits would have been retained in the Asian hominins but lost in the TD6 hominins, who exhibit a fused styloid process, a convex temporal squama, and probably a significant increase in cranial capacity (19). The Ceprano calvaria (Italy), which has been tentatively assigned to H. antecessor (23), exhibits a convex temporal squama and a cranial capacity of about 1,057 ml (24). Interestingly, TD6 and Zhoukoudian are the only hominins that have a zygomaxillary tubercle before the Upper Pleistocene (19).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Early Pleistocene hominin mandible from Atapuerca-TD6, Spain

Carbonell

Castro²,

Arsuaga³

et al. 2005

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

160

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etween 1994 and 1996, during the excavation of a 7-m 2 test pit, a sample of Ϸ100 hominin fossil remains was found in the so-called Aurora Stratum of the stratigraphic unit TD6 of the Gran Dolina site in Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, northern Spain (1). The hominin remains were associated with 268 lithic artifacts made of flint, quartzite, sandstone, limestone, and quartz. This sample is characterized by the presence of small artifacts, and includes flakes, denticulates, notches, and side-scrapers and can be characterized as Mode 1 technology (2). The excavation of the Aurora Stratum also yielded a rich small mammal assemblage (26 species, including the water vole Mimomys savini) as well as Ϸ1,000 large mammal fossil remains. The study of the arvicolids suggests that the TD6 level can be referred to the Biharian biochron (3). The macromammal assemblage is biochronologically consistent with the end of the Early Pleistocene or early Cromerian (4, 5). Paleomagnetic dating places TD6 in the Matuyama reversed Chron, hence, before 780 thousand years ago (6, 7). These paleomagnetic data combined with electron spin resonance and uranium series results give an age range of between 780 and 857 thousand years for TD6 (8). Pollen analysis suggests that the Aurora Stratum was deposited under wet, temperate conditions (9); thus, the Aurora Stratum possibly correlates to oxygen isotope stages 21 or 19.In 1997, the TD6 hominins were attributed to Homo antecessor, a new European Lower Pleistocene species (10). On the basis of cranial and dental features, it was suggested that this species could be the common ancestor of modern humans (Homo sapiens) and Neandertals (Homo neanderthalensis). The new taxon was defined in part by using facial and mandibular traits observed in immature individuals. Although the TD6 remains were compared with those of individuals of the same dental age (e.g., KNM-WT 15000), it was clear that the credibility of the species would improve if new specimens corresponding to adult individuals were found. In 2003, we obtained in the Aurora Stratum an excellently preserved mandible, whose description and comparative analysis is the subject of the present study. Mandible ATD6-96Preservation and Age at Death. The specimen catalogued as ATD6-96 was recovered in a planar section of Ͻ1 m 2 , near the area excavated during the 1994-1997 field seasons (1). ATD6-96 is a left half of a gracile mandible of an adult individual (Hominid 7) with the premolars and molars in place (Fig. 1). The specimen is broken at the level of the lateral incisor-canine septum, and the left genial apophysis is preserved. Some postmortem fractures are observed at the region between the corpus and ramus and near the neck of the condyle, but there is no noticeable distortion. Molar (M)3 is fully erupted and exhibits a minimal wear facet at the mesial marginal ridge. During restoration, the corpus and ramus were separated, and the roots of the M3 were observed directly. These roots are at stage Rc of tooth formation (11). Thus, according to mo...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Early Pleistocene hominin mandible from Atapuerca-TD6, Spain

Carbonell

Castro²,

Arsuaga³

et al. 2005

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

160

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“…Among them, the Ceprano calvaria occupies a crucial position, as far as its chronology and morphological features are concerned. In this framework, the present paper provides a comparative analysis of this fossil, based on a new reconstruction (18,19). This study is aimed at evaluating the significance of the Italian specimen for the evolution of the genus Homo.…”

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“…Metric data recorded on the new reconstruction of the Ceprano calvaria have recently been published in detail (19). The selection of bivariate metric comparisons shown in Fig.…”

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A cranium for the earliest Europeans: Phylogenetic position of the hominid from Ceprano, Italy

Manzi

Mallegni

Ascenzi

2001

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

110

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The human fossil evidence unequivocally pertaining to the first inhabitants of Europe at present includes the sample from Atapuerca-TD6 (Spain) and the incomplete adult calvaria discovered near Ceprano, in Southern Latium (Italy). On the basis of regional correlations and a series of absolute dates, the age of the Ceprano hominid is estimated to range between 800 and 900 kilo-annum (ka). In addition, the association with archaic (Mode 1) Paleolithic findings from the same area is suggested. After the completed reconstruction of the calvaria, we present here a new study dealing with the general and more detailed aspects of the morphology displayed by Ceprano, in comparison to fossil samples ranging between Early and Middle Pleistocene. According to our results, cranial features indicate that Ceprano represents a unique morphological bridge between the clade Homo ergaster͞erectus and later Middle Pleistocene specimens commonly referred to Homo heidelbergensis (and͞or to Homo rhodesiensis), particularly those belonging to the African fossil record that ultimately relates to the origin of modern humans. In conclusion, given its geographical, chronological, and phylogenetic position, an attribution to the species Homo antecessor is considered, although the sample from Atapuerca-TD6 is not directly comparable to Ceprano. Alternatively, a new species-ancestral to later European and African hominines-should be named to accommodate such a unique fossil specimen.

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“…La geomorfología sitúa Ceprano entre 900 y 800 Ka BP (Ascenzi et al 1996(Ascenzi et al , 2000. A-TD 4-7 se acota entre OIS23 y la transición OIS19/OIS18 por magnetoestratigrafía (Parés y Pérez-González 1999), radiometría (Falguères et al 1999) y bioestatigrafía (López Antoñanzas y Cuenca Bescós 2002).…”

Section: Registro Del Segundo Episodiounclassified

Hominid dispersal into Europe around the Matuyama/Brunhes boundary: origin and significance in human evolution

Sánchez¹

2006

Trab. prehist.

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RESUMENLa revisión del registro inferopaleolítico europeo permite identificar tres episodios de poblamiento. El segundo de los mismos, datado entre OIS25/OIS24-OIS19/OIS18, ofrece industrias líticas y fósiles humanos que indican un posible origen esteasiático. Se ofrece una síntesis sobre este episodio de dispersión, relacionado con el reemplazo de faunas galerienses. Se analizan las posibles vías migratorias que siguió y los motivos que pudieron ocasionar su interrupción. También se plantean las relaciones filogenéticas de estas poblaciones, insertándolas en el marco evolutivo del Pleistoceno inferior y medio. ABSTRACT

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A re-appraisal of Ceprano calvaria affinities with Homo erectus, after the new reconstruction

Cited by 67 publications

References 7 publications

An Early Pleistocene hominin mandible from Atapuerca-TD6, Spain

An Early Pleistocene hominin mandible from Atapuerca-TD6, Spain

A cranium for the earliest Europeans: Phylogenetic position of the hominid from Ceprano, Italy

Hominid dispersal into Europe around the Matuyama/Brunhes boundary: origin and significance in human evolution

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