New data on the late Neandertals: Direct dating of the Belgian Spy fossils (original) (raw)

On the phylogenetic position of the pre-Neandertal specimen from Reilingen, Germany

Journal of Human Evolution, 1998

This paper describes the morphology and phylogenetic significance of a well-preserved fossil human cranium found near Reilingen, Germany in 1978. The specimen consists of two complete parietals, most of the right temporal, and 70% of the occipital. The specimen displays several features characteristic of early ''archaic'' Homo sapiens: maximum breadth at the supramastoid crests, roughly pentagonal occipital view, an angular torus, superoinferiorly elongate/ anteroposterior shortened squamous temporal, strong mastoid, and separation of the tympanic and mastoid temporal portions. Other features align the Reilingen cranium with the ''classic'' Neandertals: developed suprainiac fossa, bilaterally protuberant occipital torus, strong juxtamastoid eminence, a highly convex occipital plane, and lambdoid flattening. This morphology and our cephalometric analysis support the assignment of this specimen to a Stage 2 ''pre-Neandertal'' group (e.g., Steinheim, Swanscombe, and Atapuerca [SH site]). Following an ''Accretion Model'' of European hominid evolution, Stage 2 succeeds Stage 1 European ''early-pre-Neandertals'' (e.g., Mauer and Petralona), and precedes both the Saale-Eem Stage 3 ''early Neandertals'' (e.g., Biache 1), which present greater platycephaly, a reduced mastoid process, an enlarged juxtamastoid eminence, and true ''en-bombe'' parieto-occipital form), and Weichsel Stage 4 ''Neandertals'' (sensu stricto, i.e., ''classic'' Neandertals).

Semal et al (2009). New Data on the Late Neandertals: Direct Dating of the Belgian Spy Fossils. AJPA

In Eurasia, the period between 40,000 and 30,000 BP saw the replacement of Neandertals by anatomically modern humans (AMH) during and after the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition. The human fossil record for this period is very poorly defined with no overlap between Neandertals and AMH on the basis of direct dates. Four new 14 C dates were obtained on the two adult Neandertals from Spy (Belgium).