Journal article
Peştera cu Oase 2 and the cranial morphology of early modern Europeans
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.104(4), pp.1165-1170
01/16/2007
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0610538104
PMCID: PMC1783092
PMID: 17227863
Abstract
Between 2003 and 2005, the Peştera cu Oase, Romania yielded a largely complete early modern human cranium, Oase 2, scattered on the surface of a Late Pleistocene hydraulically displaced bone bed containing principally the remains of Ursus spelaeus. Multiple lines of evidence indicate an age of ≈40.5 thousand calendar years before the present (≈35 ka 14C B.P.). Morphological comparison of the adolescent Oase 2 cranium to relevant Late Pleistocene human samples documents a suite of derived modern human and/or non-Neandertal features, including absence of a supraorbital torus, subrectangular orbits, prominent canine fossae, narrow nasal aperture, level nasal floor, angled and anteriorly oriented zygomatic bones, a high neurocranium with prominent parietal bosses and marked sagittal parietal curvature, superiorly positioned temporal zygomatic root, vertical auditory porous, laterally bulbous mastoid processes, superiorly positioned posterior semicircular canal, absence of a nuchal torus and a suprainiac fossa, and a small occipital bun. However, these features are associated with an exceptionally flat frontal arc, a moderately large juxtamastoid eminence, extremely large molars that become progressively larger distally, complex occlusal morphology of the upper third molar, and relatively anteriorly positioned zygomatic arches. Moreover, the featureless occipital region and small mastoid process are at variance with the large facial skeleton and dentition. This unusual mosaic in Oase 2, some of which is paralleled in the Oase 1 mandible, indicates both complex population dynamics as modern humans dispersed into Europe and significant ongoing human evolution once modern humans were established within Europe.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Peştera cu Oase 2 and the cranial morphology of early modern Europeans
- Creators
- Hélène Rougier - Washington University in St. LouisŞtefan Milota - Pro Acva Grup, Straďa Surduc 1, 1900 Timişoara, RomaniaRicardo Rodrigo - Centro Nacional de Arqueologia Náutica e Subaquática, Instituto Português de Arqueologia, Avenida da India 136, 1300 Lisbon, PortugalMircea Gherase - Pro Acva Grup, Straďa Surduc 1, 1900 Timişoara, RomaniaLaurenţiu Sarcinǎ - Pro Acva Grup, Straďa Surduc 1, 1900 Timişoara, RomaniaOana MoldovanJoão Zilhão - Department of ArchaeologySilviu Constantin - Institutul de Speologie “Emil Racoviţǎ,” Straďa Frumoaša 31, 010986 Bucharest 12, RomaniaRobert G. FranciscusChristoph P. E. Zollikofer - Anthropologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, SwitzerlandMarcia Ponce de León - Anthropologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, SwitzerlandErik Trinkaus - Washington University in St. Louis
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.104(4), pp.1165-1170
- DOI
- 10.1073/pnas.0610538104
- PMID
- 17227863
- PMCID
- PMC1783092
- NLM abbreviation
- Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
- ISSN
- 0027-8424
- eISSN
- 1091-6490
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/16/2007
- Academic Unit
- Orthodontics; Anthropology
- Record Identifier
- 9984269247802771
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