An intriguing archaic Homo sapiens from Northeast Mongolia.

[Jacques Cinq-Mars]

All,

For your information, here is an in press copy of:

Coppens, Yves, Damdinsuren Tseveendorj, Fabrice Demeter,
Tsagaan Turbat, and Pierre-Henri Giscard. 2008. Discovery of an archaic Homo sapiens skullcap in Northeast Mongolia. C. R. Palevol xxx (2008) xxx–xxx.

Abstract:
This preliminary study of a human skullcap discovered at Salkhit, Northeast Mongolia, in 2006, shows a mosaic of traits. Plesiomorphies can be seen on the frontal bone: developed brow ridges and a keeled squama. Apomorphies can be observed: high and back-located parietal eminences and absence of a sagittal keel. The skullcap seems to share also some features with Neanderthals that can be observed on the lower part of the frontal bone and in the nasal and orbital region such as a supratoral sulcus, a prominent glabella, prominent rounded lateral supraorbital margins, and a well-defined inward nasion. The comparison of the dimensions of the skullcap with those of skullcaps of a reference sample by multidimensional scaling analysis shows similarities with Neanderthals, Chinese Homo erectus, and West/Far East archaic Homo sapiens. However, the too fragmentary condition of the fossil does not allow any further comparison. Nevertheless, this discovery tackles the modern human origins debate in a region of the world where no human fossil had been discovered before.

Keywords: Late Pleistocene; Mongolia; Modern Man origins; Homo sapiens

If you want to purchase the article from Elsevier, for 30.50$, you can click HERE. Otherwise, do not hesitate to ask around!

Jacques

[Robert Henvell]

  The authors have cautiously attributed the Salknit calva to an archaic Homo Sapiens.
Is its position on the multidimensional plot [figure 3,page 9] and its estimated cranial capacity of 900 +/-100cm3,etc more compatible with an earlier hominid,but not a Neanderthal??
Bob

[lagarvelho]

Robert:

Most Neandertals had cranial capacities somewhat larger than 900 cc.  These capacities were actually more like those of "modern" humans.
Anne G

[Charlie Hatchett]

All,

For your information, here is an in press copy of:

Coppens, Yves, Damdinsuren Tseveendorj, Fabrice Demeter,
Tsagaan Turbat, and Pierre-Henri Giscard. 2008. Discovery of an archaic Homo sapiens skullcap in Northeast Mongolia. C. R. Palevol xxx (2008) xxx–xxx.

Abstract:
This preliminary study of a human skullcap discovered at Salkhit, Northeast Mongolia, in 2006, shows a mosaic of traits. Plesiomorphies can be seen on the frontal bone: developed brow ridges and a keeled squama. Apomorphies can be observed: high and back-located parietal eminences and absence of a sagittal keel. The skullcap seems to share also some features with Neanderthals that can be observed on the lower part of the frontal bone and in the nasal and orbital region such as a supratoral sulcus, a prominent glabella, prominent rounded lateral supraorbital margins, and a well-defined inward nasion. The comparison of the dimensions of the skullcap with those of skullcaps of a reference sample by multidimensional scaling analysis shows similarities with Neanderthals, Chinese Homo erectus, and West/Far East archaic Homo sapiens. However, the too fragmentary condition of the fossil does not allow any further comparison. Nevertheless, this discovery tackles the modern human origins debate in a region of the world where no human fossil had been discovered before.

Keywords: Late Pleistocene; Mongolia; Modern Man origins; Homo sapiens

If you want to purchase the article from Elsevier, for 30.50$, you can click HERE. Otherwise, do not hesitate to ask around!

Jacques

Intriguing, Jacques.

I'd love to read the report.

Respectfully,

Charlie

[Manystones]

Robert, Anne,

or maybe just another hominid in the process of reducing robusticity?

Richard.

[Jacques Cinq-Mars]

  The authors have cautiously attributed the Salknit calva to an archaic Homo Sapiens.
Is its position on the multidimensional plot [figure 3,page 9] and its estimated cranial capacity of 900 +/-100cm3,etc more compatible with an earlier hominid,but not a Neanderthal??
Bob

Bob,

If you add a number of cm3, Anne is right. As you say, “The authors have cautiously attributed the Salknit skull cap to an archaic Homo Sapiens.” See John Hawks’very reasonable “compte-rendu” (HERE).

As for me, I have little to add. The skull cap has a definite “neanderthaloid”/”archaic” flavour. It was discovered close to the eastern end of the southern Mongolian ranges, a great distance – as Mongolia goes – from the better known sites of the South-Central Altai (Okladnikov and Denisova) which have yielded clear evidence of a Mousterian presence. I had the opportunity to study  some of this material in 1986 and 1990 and, as shown by the ATTACHED, Mousterian technology was alive and well in the Siberian Altai around 45,000 years ago.

Jacques