Kathleen Kuman
University of the Witwatersrand, Archaeology, Faculty Member
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The StW 573 skeleton of Australopithecus prometheus from Sterkfontein Member 2 is some 93% complete and thus by far the most complete member of that genus yet found. Firmly dated at 3.67 Ma it is one of the earliest of its genus. A... more
The StW 573 skeleton of Australopithecus prometheus from Sterkfontein Member 2 is some 93% complete and thus by far the most complete member of that genus yet found. Firmly dated at 3.67 Ma it is one of the earliest of its genus. A crucial aspect of interpretation of locomotor behaviour from fossil remains, is an understanding of the palaeoenvironment in which individuals lived and the manner in which they would have used it. While the value of this ecomorphological approach is largely accepted, it has not been widely used, as a stable framework on which to build evolutionary biomechanical interpretations. Here, we collate the available evidence on StW 573’s anatomy in order to reconstruct what might have been this individual’s realised and potential niche. We explore the concept of a common australopithecus bauplan by comparing the morphology and ecological context of StW 573 to that of paenocontemporaneous australopiths including Au. anamensis and KSD-VP-1/1 Au. afarensis. Each was probably substantially arboreal and woodland-dwelling, relying substantially on arboreal resources. Using an hypothesis-driven approach, tested by virtual experiments, in the case of extinct species, biomechanical analyses of the locomotor behaviour of living great ape species, and analogical experiments with human subjects, we conclude that the habitual locomotor mode of all australopiths was upright bipedalism, whether on the ground or on branches. Some later australopiths such as Au. sediba undoubtedly became more terrestrial, allowing sacrifice of arboreal stability in favour of manual dexterity. Indeed, modern humans retain arboreal climbing skills but have further sacrificed arboreal effectiveness for enhanced ability to sustain striding terrestrial bipedalism over much greater distances. We compare StW573’s locomotor adaptations to those of living great apes and protohominins and agree with those earlier observers who suggest that the common panin-hominin Last Common Ancestor was postcranially more like Gorilla then Pan
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Prepared core technology illustrates in-depth planning and the presence of a mental template during the core reduction process. This technology is, therefore, a significant indicator in studying the evolution of abstract thought and the... more
Prepared core technology illustrates in-depth planning and the presence of a mental template during the core reduction process. This technology is, therefore, a significant indicator in studying the evolution of abstract thought and the cognitive abilities of hominids. Here, we report on Victoria West cores excavated from the Canteen Kopje site in central South Africa, with a preliminary age estimate of approximately 1 Ma (million years ago) for these cores. Technological analysis shows that the Victoria West cores bear similarities to the 'Volumetric Concept' as defined for the Levallois, a popular and widely distributed prepared core technology from at least 200 ka (thousand years ago). Although these similarities are present, several notable differences also occur that make the Victoria West a unique and distinctive prepared core technology; these are: elongated and convergent core shapes, consistent blow directions for flake removal, a predominance of large side-struck flakes, and the use of these flakes to make Acheulean large cutting tools. This innovative core reduction strategy at Canteen Kopje extends the roots of prepared core technology to the latter part of the Early Acheulean and clearly demonstrates an increase in the cognitive abilities and complexities of hominids in this time period.
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The Cape porcupine, Hystrix africaeaustralis, is an acknowledged accumulator of bones in southern Africa. Here we examine porcupine accumulated material from five localities in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, including a re-analysis of... more
The Cape porcupine, Hystrix africaeaustralis, is an acknowledged accumulator of bones in southern Africa. Here we examine porcupine accumulated material from five localities in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, including a re-analysis of the Nossob lair published by Brain (1981). These results are then compared to a Mid-Late Pleistocene assemblage (L/63) from Post-Member 6 at Sterkfontein. The taphonomic analyses indicate that porcupines are indiscriminate collectors of bones and other items. Unlike many other vertebrate bone accumulators porcupines do not appear to have a collection size bias, as the species represented in the assemblages range in body mass from >0.14kg to 60% gnawed bones is needed to establish that material has been collected by Cape porcupines rather than as a result of a number of other sources. Of the macrovertebrate component of the L/63 fossil assemblage, only 149 specimens exhibited porcupine gnawing (11%), while that number rose to 263 (6.97%) of the total NISP and fragment count (n= 3775). This is well below the threshold proposed in this analysis and in the published literature, indicating that porcupines are unlikely to have been a primary contributor to the L/63 assemblage. The possible role of porcupines in creating and maintaining mosaic environments through their foraging activities is also discussed.
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Research Interests: Archaeology, Geology, Paleontology, China, Pleistocene, and 4 moreQuaternary, Acheulean, Loess, and Laterite
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Abstract There is increasing evidence that confirms the existence of the Acheulean Techno-complex at sites in Southeast and East Asia, especially for its earliest appearance at ~0.8 Ma; however, these Acheulean sites are characterized by... more
Abstract There is increasing evidence that confirms the existence of the Acheulean Techno-complex at sites in Southeast and East Asia, especially for its earliest appearance at ~0.8 Ma; however, these Acheulean sites are characterized by significantly low lithic densities and infrequent Large Cutting Tools (LCTs) (e.g. sites in the Bose Basin). Various hypotheses have been proposed to account for these low artefact densities. In this paper, we consider the interplay between cataclysmic events in the environment and population dynamics during the Acheulean, which has received little attention with regard to ecology. We focus on two sudden penecontemporaneous geological events at ~0.8 Ma: the Australasian tektite fall and the oldest Toba supereruption, both of which have been well documented in Southeast Asia and the southern part of South China and have been confirmed causing severe environmental change (e.g. deforestation). We propose that this destruction of the original habitat created a bottleneck effect on the Acheulean toolmakers that had moved from the West into the area. This study broadens our understanding of the regional character of the Acheulean Techno-complex in Southeast and East Asia, and it provides an interesting case study that highlights the relationship between Acheulean population dynamics and sudden environmental change.
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... The archaeology of Sterkfontein-past and present. Kathleen Kuman in Journal of Human ... and the Significance of the Extension Site. JT Robinson in South African Archaeological Bulletin (1962 ... Introduction: Magnetism and site... more
... The archaeology of Sterkfontein-past and present. Kathleen Kuman in Journal of Human ... and the Significance of the Extension Site. JT Robinson in South African Archaeological Bulletin (1962 ... Introduction: Magnetism and site formation processes in archaeology. Rob Sternberg in ...
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Site formation and disturbance are evaluated for two open-air sites of the Middle Stone Age (MSA)--Florisbad, South Africa, and $\not=$Gi, Botswana. Artifact assemblages are analyzed by methods appropriate to each site: re-fitting of... more
Site formation and disturbance are evaluated for two open-air sites of the Middle Stone Age (MSA)--Florisbad, South Africa, and $\not=$Gi, Botswana. Artifact assemblages are analyzed by methods appropriate to each site: re-fitting of conjoining artifacts, classification of major and minor artifact damage, on-site distribution of patination, size-profiling, vertical distribution plotting, artifact dips and orientations. Analysis of artifact attributes suggests predominant functions and demonstrates a highly curated/reduced industry for $\not=$Gi, while Florisbad tools are used expediently because of readily available raw materials. Sixteen sedimentary units at Florisbad contain Holocene Later Stone Age, a late Pleistocene hiatus, and 12 units of MSA antiquity, three of which have assemblages large enough to evaluate: (1) The basal units contain an earlier MSA, broadly associated with the Florisbad archaic Homo sapiens and the Florisian Land Mammal Age fauna. (2) Unit M has a highly retouched form of MSA. (3) Unit F (above) contains a large assemblage of manufacturing debris, plus a small number of formal tools and more numerous utilized flakes used predominantly in butchering. These horizons accumulated during a series of brief visits to the site. Debris was buried gently by spring sediments with no loss or significant disturbance. Two units at $\not=$Gi contain MSA similar to the Bambatan of Zimbabwe. The industry is highly retouched and reduced. Points are the most heavily curated and most abundant type. Edge-wear shows that cutting is the predominant function at the site which, like Florisbad, was used for a specialized activity. The industry represents a long-term accumulation along a river margin. Its condition indicates some exposure to trampling and a relatively slow rate of sedimentation. The main unit shows only minor hydrological disturbance but the assemblage below accumulated under a mix of more turbulent and quiescent conditions. This study demonstrates that open sites can make a greater contribution to MSA studies than is currently appreciated if in-depth investigation of site history is attempted. It further concludes that some variation in MSA industries is related to the expedient or conserved use of raw materials
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Penhill Farm is an Earlier Stone Age (ESA) Acheulean archaeological site located within the southeastern Cape coastal region of South Africa. Although ESA artifacts have been known for this region since the 1950s, limited archaeological... more
Penhill Farm is an Earlier Stone Age (ESA) Acheulean archaeological site located within the southeastern Cape coastal region of South Africa. Although ESA artifacts have been known for this region since the 1950s, limited archaeological work and an inability to date the terrace context sites have prevented understanding the technological progression from the ESA to Middle Stone Age (MSA) and their placement within the Stone Age chronology of South Africa. Here we use cosmogenic 26 Al and 10 Be to reveal a two-stage depositional history for a stone tool assemblage recovered from a debris flow deposit, with artifacts dating to ca. 1.1 Ma (million years) incorporated into a debris flow dating to ca. 0.6 Ma, thereby constraining the Penhill Farm Acheulean occupation to the Early Pleistocene.
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Sterkfontein is the most prolific single source of Australopithecus fossils, the vast majority of which were recovered from Member 4, a cave breccia now exposed by erosion and weathering at the landscape surface. A few other... more
Sterkfontein is the most prolific single source of Australopithecus fossils, the vast majority of which were recovered from Member 4, a cave breccia now exposed by erosion and weathering at the landscape surface. A few other Australopithecus fossils, including the StW 573 skeleton, come from subterranean deposits [T. C. Partridge et al. , Science 300, 607–612 (2003); R. J. Clarke, K. Kuman, J. Hum. Evol. 134, 102634 (2019)]. Here, we report a cosmogenic nuclide isochron burial date of 3.41 ± 0.11 million years (My) within the lower middle part of Member 4, and simple burial dates of 3.49 ± 0.19 My in the upper middle part of Member 4 and 3.61 ± 0.09 My in Jacovec Cavern. Together with a previously published isochron burial date of 3.67 ± 0.16 My for StW 573 [D. E. Granger et al. , Nature 522, 85–88 (2015)], these results place nearly the entire Australopithecus assemblage at Sterkfontein in the mid-Pliocene, contemporaneous with Australopithecus afarensis in East Africa. Our ages fo...
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Figure S2: Victoria West cores with small removals (a, b, c) and non-ideal blow direction (d). The yellow arrows show the preparation of the two surfaces, and the red arrows show the preferential flake removal directions. a, b , c and d correspond to the specimens CK3708, CK8702, CK5837 and CK393...more
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Abstract In this article, we report on a re-examination of the morphological variability of East Asian handaxes through study of handaxes from sites generally considered to be Middle Pleistocene in age and by carrying out detailed... more
Abstract In this article, we report on a re-examination of the morphological variability of East Asian handaxes through study of handaxes from sites generally considered to be Middle Pleistocene in age and by carrying out detailed small-scale comparisons. In particular, we add data for a new handaxe assemblage found in the Danjiangkou Reservoir Region, central China. We begin with an analysis of the range of handaxe morphological variability in different regions (Africa, West Europe and East Asia) and conclude that the variability in the East Asian sites is not significantly different from that found in the western Acheulean. Moreover, the variability present in East Asian handaxes reflects the flexible adaptation strategies of Acheulean hominids. In explaining the morphological variability of East Asian handaxes, we adopt a stepwise approach for a comprehensive analysis, from the most fundamental level factors, such as raw material and reduction intensity, to higher-level factors like cultural tradition and cognitive ability. The results indicate that East Asian handaxe variability was influenced by multiple factors, to be discussed in this article. Also through comparative morphological analysis, we argue that there are specific regional influences that have explanatory value. The analysis of such regional factors is necessary for a better understanding of this subject.
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The earliest South African hominids (humans and their ancestral kin) belong to the genera Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and Homo, with the oldest being a ca. 3.67 million-year-old nearly complete skeleton of Australopithecus (StW 573)... more
The earliest South African hominids (humans and their ancestral kin) belong to the genera Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and Homo, with the oldest being a ca. 3.67 million-year-old nearly complete skeleton of Australopithecus (StW 573) from Sterkfontein Caves. This skeleton has provided, for the first time in almost a century of research, the full anatomy of an Australopithecus individual with indisputably associated skull and postcranial bones that give complete limb lengths. The three genera are also found in East Africa, but scholars have disagreed on the taxonomic assignment for some fossils owing to historical preconceptions. Here we focus on the South African representatives to help clarify these debates. The uncovering of the StW 573 skeleton in situ revealed significant clues concerning events that had affected it over time and demonstrated that the associated stalagmite flowstones cannot provide direct dating of the fossil, as they are infillings of voids caused by postdep...
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The StW 573 skeleton of Australopithecus prometheus from Sterkfontein Member 2 is some 93% complete and thus by far the most complete member of that genus yet found. Firmly dated at 3.67 Ma, it is one of the earliest specimens of its... more
The StW 573 skeleton of Australopithecus prometheus from Sterkfontein Member 2 is some 93% complete and thus by far the most complete member of that genus yet found. Firmly dated at 3.67 Ma, it is one of the earliest specimens of its genus. A crucial aspect of interpretation of locomotor behaviour from fossil remains is an understanding of the palaeoenvironment in which the individual lived and the manner in which it would have used it. While the value of this ecomorphological approach is largely accepted, it has not been widely used as a stable framework on which to build evolutionary biomechanical interpretations. Here, we collate the available evidence on StW 573’s anatomy in order, as far as currently possible, to reconstruct what might have been this individual’s realized and potential niche. We explore the concept of a common Australopithecus “bauplan” by comparing the morphology and ecological context of StW 573 to that of paenocontemporaneous australopiths including Australo...
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Taphonomic data are presented for a bone assemblage composed of the remains of seven baboons killed and eaten by wild leopards in Mapungubwe National Park (South Africa). Mortality and sex distributions of the sample meet theoretical... more
Taphonomic data are presented for a bone assemblage composed of the remains of seven baboons killed and eaten by wild leopards in Mapungubwe National Park (South Africa). Mortality and sex distributions of the sample meet theoretical expectations of a leopard-produced assemblage and skeletal part patterning, as well as gross patterns of bone modification, match conditions of other leopard-derived faunas composed of smalland medium-size prey, but bone surface damage is much more intensive than previously documented in collections produced by ...
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Here we present the first full anatomical description of the 3.67 million-year-old Australopithecus skull StW 573 that was recovered with its skeleton from the Sterkfontein Member 2 breccia in the Silberberg Grotto. Analysis demonstrates... more
Here we present the first full anatomical description of the 3.67 million-year-old Australopithecus skull StW 573 that was recovered with its skeleton from the Sterkfontein Member 2 breccia in the Silberberg Grotto. Analysis demonstrates that it is most similar in multiple key morphological characters to a group of fossils from Sterkfontein Member 4 and Makapansgat that are here distinguished morphologically as A. prometheus. This taxon contrasts with another group of fossils from those sites assigned to A. africanus. The anatomical reasons for why these groupings should not be lumped together (as is frequently done for the South African fossils) are discussed in detail. In support of this classification, we also present for the first time a palate (StW 576 from Sterkfontein Member 4) newly reconstructed by RJC, which has a uniquely complete adult dentition of an A. africanus. The StW 573 skull also has certain similarities with other earlier Australopithecus fossils in East Africa,...
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ABSTRACT The oldest archaeological sites currently known in northernmost South Africa are found in the Mapungubwe National Park (formerly known as the Vhembe-Dongola National Park) and neighbouring farms, where there is a widespread... more
ABSTRACT The oldest archaeological sites currently known in northernmost South Africa are found in the Mapungubwe National Park (formerly known as the Vhembe-Dongola National Park) and neighbouring farms, where there is a widespread distribution of open-air sites in deflated contexts. They are sealed by Holocene sands, which at some of the sites contain Later Stone Age (LSA) artefacts. The industry to which the older assemblages are most comparable is final Earlier Stone Age (ESA) in character, with parallels to the Sangoan Industry, or what has locally been proposed as the Charaman from Zimbabwe. A developed phase of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) with segments and retouched points is also represented on one landscape. Rockshelter sites are being investigated to locate stratified deposits to which the open sites may be compared. In the interim, the material provides a form of 'archaeological signature' that can contribute to the overall evaluation of Stone Age occupations in northernmost South Africa. Large-scale climatic fluctuations during the course of the Pleistocene have influenced occupations across southern Africa. The archaeology of the Mapungubwe area appears to have more in common with developments north of the Limpopo than it does with the South African sequence.
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Figure S3: Victoria West cores from the top of the layer containing the Victoria West core assemblage. The yellow arrows show the preparation of the two surfaces, the red arrows show the preferential flake removal directions, and the blue arrows show scars overlapping the preferential removal. a,...more
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Figure S1: Victoria West cores with overshot preferential removals (a, b, c) and small sized removal (d). Note that although the size of specimen a is also small, the preferential removal is still large when compared with the overall size of the core. The yellow arrows show the preparation of the...more
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Victoria West cores with small removals (a, b, c) and non-ideal blow direction (d). The yellow arrows show the preparation of the two surfaces, and the red arrows show the preferential flake removal directions. a, b , c and d correspond... more
Victoria West cores with small removals (a, b, c) and non-ideal blow direction (d). The yellow arrows show the preparation of the two surfaces, and the red arrows show the preferential flake removal directions. a, b , c and d correspond to the specimens CK3708, CK8702, CK5837 and CK3936 respectively (see Table S1 for raw data).
New research in recent years has enriched our understanding of the spatio-temporal distribution of Large Cutting Tool (LCT) technology in Paleolithic China. Yet, few studies have focused on hominid social behaviors, and by analyzing LCTs... more
New research in recent years has enriched our understanding of the spatio-temporal distribution of Large Cutting Tool (LCT) technology in Paleolithic China. Yet, few studies have focused on hominid social behaviors, and by analyzing LCTs from the Baise Basin in southern China, this case study aims to clarify some of these strategies for the region. Specifically, by employing two primary lines of evidence that consider both quantitative environmental variables and technological tool attributes, the results suggest that hominids preferred to adopt behavioral strategies associated with short-distance travelling and small-territory ranging. Furthermore, given the low density of stone artifacts and LCTs in all excavated sites, the somewhat homogenous landscape, and the even distribution of plant-dominated resources throughout the basin, site occupation and/or settlement was likely temporary in nature. Overall, the use of ecological simulations and analogous approaches in this study provides a series of new data for understanding lifeways of early humans in the humid subtropical forests of South China, and equally important, promote new research avenues for understanding the dynamics of the Chinese Paleolithic.
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ABSTRACT Ever since the first discovery of handaxes in the 1970s in the Baise (Bose) Basin in South China, this region has been providing important data that have improved our understanding of Large Cutting Tool (LCT) technology in China.... more
ABSTRACT Ever since the first discovery of handaxes in the 1970s in the Baise (Bose) Basin in South China, this region has been providing important data that have improved our understanding of Large Cutting Tool (LCT) technology in China. However, presently there are still some obvious shortfalls in our understanding of this very significant cultural paleolandscape. For instance, previous studies have only analyzed small or incomplete sub-samples of much larger collections, especially of the LCTs often from surface contexts, and in addition recent studies have also largely focused on the analysis of LCT morphological indices, versus adopting a more holistic approach that considers fundamental technological attributes. As a result, this study aims to provide a more detailed quantitative assessment of an expanded LCT and artifact sample, and furthermore, provide important insight into the spatial and temporal variability of Large Cutting Tool technology from a wider geographical and environmental perspective.
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The University of Pretoria, the University of the Witwatersrand, the Palaeontological Scientific Trust (PAST) and its Scatterlings of Africa programmes, which provided bursary support to M.G.L., and the National Research Foundation (NRF).... more
The University of Pretoria, the University of the Witwatersrand, the Palaeontological Scientific Trust (PAST) and its Scatterlings of Africa programmes, which provided bursary support to M.G.L., and the National Research Foundation (NRF). K.K. acknowledges the NRF (grant number 81782) for fieldwork costs and bursary support.
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The ca. 3.67 Ma adult skeleton known as 'Little Foot' (StW 573), recovered from Sterkfontein Member 2 breccia in the Silberberg Grotto, is remarkable for its morphology and completeness. Preservation of clavicles and scapulae,... more
The ca. 3.67 Ma adult skeleton known as 'Little Foot' (StW 573), recovered from Sterkfontein Member 2 breccia in the Silberberg Grotto, is remarkable for its morphology and completeness. Preservation of clavicles and scapulae, including essentially complete right-side elements, offers opportunities to assess morphological and functional aspects of a nearly complete Australopithecus pectoral girdle. Here we describe the StW 573 pectoral girdle and offer quantitative comparisons to those of extant hominoids and selected homininans. The StW 573 pectoral girdle combines features intermediate between those of humans and other apes: a long and curved clavicle, suggesting a relatively dorsally positioned scapula; an enlarged and uniquely proportioned supraspinous fossa; a relatively cranially oriented glenoid fossa; and ape-like reinforcement of the axillary margin by a stout ventral bar. StW 573 scapulae are as follows: smaller than those of some homininans (i.e., KSD-VP-1/1 and KNM-ER 47000A), larger than others (i.e., A.L. 288-1, Sts 7, and MH2), and most similar in size to another australopith from Sterkfontein, StW 431. Moreover, StW 573 and StW 431 exhibit similar structural features along their axillary margins and inferior angles. As the StW 573 pectoral girdle (e.g., scapular configuration) has a greater affinity to that of apes-Gorilla in particular-rather than modern humans, we suggest that the StW 573 morphological pattern appears to reflect adaptations to arboreal behaviors, especially those with the hand positioned above the head, more than human-like manipulatory capabilities. When compared with less complete pectoral girdles from middle/late Miocene apes and that of the penecontemporaneous KSD-VP-1/1 (Australopithecus afarensis), and mindful of consensus views on the adaptiveness of arboreal positional behaviors soliciting abducted glenohumeral joints in early Pliocene taxa, we propose that the StW 573 pectoral girdle is a reasonable model for hypothesizing pectoral girdle configuration of the crown hominin last common ancestor.
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Abstract The ever-growing use of the landmarks-based 3D geometric morphometric approach in Paleolithic studies is providing researchers with robust datasets that facilitate the interpretation of new research questions that cannot be... more
Abstract The ever-growing use of the landmarks-based 3D geometric morphometric approach in Paleolithic studies is providing researchers with robust datasets that facilitate the interpretation of new research questions that cannot be explored using traditional planform measurements. Here, we utilize this method to investigate the shape of the Large Cutting Tools (LCTs) from the Baise (or Bose) Basin in South China that are heavily debated as Acheulean or Acheulean-like. Our results show that the greatest variability in shape is primarily concentrated along the lateral edges of the mesial and basal parts of the LCTs, which is in contrast with the relative consistency in shape for the distal tips. This trend in shape variability is very likely related to certain functional needs driving the technological investment within different portions of the LCTs during the shaping process (i.e., more extensive shaping in the tips relative to the other remaining parts). Another key feature for LCT tip morphology is the general preference for arched or tongue-like shapes, although some variability still exists. We suggest that the consistency in these tip morphologies likely reflects an inherent mental template in the minds of the LCT makers, and is also probably a specific functional adaptation (e.g., wood working) within the local humid subtropical paleoenvironment. This study provides an important case study demonstrating the successful application of a landmarks-based 3D geometric approach to Asian LCTs, showcasing its innovative potential when investigating the evolution of Paleolithic assemblages.
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The Fauresmith was a term first coined by archaeologists in the 1920s to describe a cultural development intermediate between the Earlier and Middle Stone Ages. From the late 1960s, many researchers abandoned the term in favor of sinking... more
The Fauresmith was a term first coined by archaeologists in the 1920s to describe a cultural development intermediate between the Earlier and Middle Stone Ages. From the late 1960s, many researchers abandoned the term in favor of sinking the Fauresmith within the Later Acheulean. More recently, however, some have supported the idea of the Fauresmith as the earliest Middle Stone Age, whereas other researchers continue to use the term to refer to a transitional technological development. In this article, we evaluate the status of the Fauresmith. We do this by describing a newly excavated assemblage from Canteen Kopje in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and by comparing it with other assemblages published as Fauresmith. Although there is substantial variability across these assemblages, we present data to show that the relevant assemblages show the consistency of a regional technology that is indeed transitional between the Earlier and Middle Stone Ages. It includes prepared cores, blades, and very reduced numbers of large cutting tools compared with the Acheulean, and it often includes convergent flakes and retouched points. We argue that the Fauresmith, along with parallel developments both within and beyond Africa, is a term worth retaining to identify the slow process of decline of Acheulean technology in favor of a lighter toolkit, which includes varying degrees of more advanced core reduction strategies, larger numbers of formal tools, and hafting. Such developments are associated with populations linked to the development of Homo sapiens in Africa from ca. 600 to 160 ka.
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Functional morphology of the atlas reflects multiple aspects of an organism’s biology. More specifically, its shape indicates patterns of head mobility, while the size of its vascular foramina reflects blood flow to the brain. Anatomy and... more
Functional morphology of the atlas reflects multiple aspects of an organism’s biology. More specifically, its shape indicates patterns of head mobility, while the size of its vascular foramina reflects blood flow to the brain. Anatomy and function of the early hominin atlas, and thus, its evolutionary history, are poorly documented because of a paucity of fossilized material. Meticulous excavation, cleaning and high-resolution micro-CT scanning of the StW 573 (‘Little Foot’) skull has revealed the most complete early hominin atlas yet found, having been cemented by breccia in its displaced and flipped over position on the cranial base anterolateral to the foramen magnum. Description and landmark-free morphometric analyses of the StW 573 atlas, along with other less complete hominin atlases from Sterkfontein (StW 679) and Hadar (AL 333-83), confirm the presence of an arboreal component in the positional repertoire of Australopithecus. Finally, assessment of the cross-sectional areas ...