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A complete human pelvis from the Middle Pleistocene of Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Juan-Luis Arsuaga

    (Instituto de Geologa Econmica, Facultad de Ciencias Geolgicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

  • Carlos Lorenzo

    (Instituto de Geologa Econmica, Facultad de Ciencias Geolgicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

  • José-Miguel Carretero

    (Facultad de Humanidades y Educacin, Universidad de Burgos)

  • Ana Gracia

    (Instituto de Geologa Econmica, Facultad de Ciencias Geolgicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

  • Ignacio Martínez

    (Instituto de Geologa Econmica, Facultad de Ciencias Geolgicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

  • Nuria García

    (Instituto de Geologa Econmica, Facultad de Ciencias Geolgicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

  • José-María Bermúdez de Castro

    (Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientficas)

  • Eudald Carbonell

    (Laboratori d'Arqueologia, Universitat Rovira i Virgili)

Abstract

The Middle Pleistocene site of Sima de los Huesos in Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain, has yielded around 2,500 fossils from at least 33different hominid individuals1. These have been dated at more than 200,000 years ago2,3,4 and have been classified as ancestors of Neanderthals5,6. An almost complete human male pelvis (labelled Pelvis 1) has been found, which we associate with two fragmentary femora. Pelvis 1 is robust and very broad with a very long superior pubic ramus, marked iliac flare, and a long femoral neck. This pattern is probably the primitive condition from which modern humans departed. A modern human newborn would pass through the birth canal of Pelvis 1 and this would be even larger in a female individual. We estimate the body mass of this individual at 95 kg or more. Using the cranial capacities of three specimens from Sima de los Huesos, the encephalization quotients are substantially smaller than in Neanderthals and modern humans.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan-Luis Arsuaga & Carlos Lorenzo & José-Miguel Carretero & Ana Gracia & Ignacio Martínez & Nuria García & José-María Bermúdez de Castro & Eudald Carbonell, 1999. "A complete human pelvis from the Middle Pleistocene of Spain," Nature, Nature, vol. 399(6733), pages 255-258, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:399:y:1999:i:6733:d:10.1038_20430
    DOI: 10.1038/20430
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    Cited by:

    1. Sergi Lozano & Xosé-Pedro Rodríguez & Alex Arenas, 2014. "Atapuerca: evolution of scientific collaboration in an emergent large-scale research infrastructure," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 98(2), pages 1505-1520, February.
    2. Gallagher, Andrew, 2013. "Stature, body mass, and brain size: A two-million-year odyssey," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 551-562.

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