A new skull of early Homo from Dmanisi, Georgia
Science. 2002 Jul 5;297(5578):85-9.
doi: 10.1126/science.1072953.
Authors
Abesalom Vekua 1, David Lordkipanidze, G Philip Rightmire, Jordi Agusti, Reid Ferring, Givi Maisuradze, Alexander Mouskhelishvili, Medea Nioradze, Marcia Ponce De Leon, Martha Tappen, Merab Tvalchrelidze, Christoph Zollikofer
Affiliation
●1Georgian State Museum, Georgian Academy of Sciences, 3 Purtseladze Street, Tbilisi 380007, Georgia.
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PMID:
12098694
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DOI:
10.1126/science.1072953
Abstract
Another hominid skull has been recovered at Dmanisi (Republic of Georgia) from the same strata in which hominid remains have been reported previously. The Dmanisi site dated to approximately 1.75 million years ago has now produced craniofacial portions of several hominid individuals, along with many well-preserved animal fossils and quantities of stone artifacts. Although there are certain anatomical differences among the Dmanisi specimens, the hominids do not clearly represent more than one taxon. We assign the new skull provisionally to Homo erectus (=ergaster). The Dmanisi specimens are the most primitive and small-brained fossils to be grouped with this species or any taxon linked unequivocally with genus Homo and also the ones most similar to the presumed habilis-like stem. We suggest that the ancestors of the Dmanisi population dispersed from Africa before the emergence of humans identified broadly with the H. erectus grade.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Africa
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Animals
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Anthropology, Physical
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Brain / anatomy & histology
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Cephalometry
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Emigration and Immigration
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Fossils*
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Frontal Bone / anatomy & histology
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Geologic Sediments
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Georgia (Republic)
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Hominidae* / anatomy & histology
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Hominidae* / classification
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Humans
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Mandible / anatomy & histology
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Nasal Bone / anatomy & histology
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Orbit / anatomy & histology
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Parietal Bone / anatomy & histology
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Rodentia
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Skull / anatomy & histology*
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Temporal Bone / anatomy & histology
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Tooth