The dating of Lantian man and his significance for analyzing trends in human evolution

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8311329
AutoresJean S Aigner (University of Connecticut, autor correspondente), William S Laughlin (University of Connecticut)
Ano1973
Volume39
Fascículo1
Páginas97-109
Data de publicação1973-07-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.1330390111
PMID4351579
OpenAlexW2031275691
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas10
Referências citadas9

The Lantian fossil hominid cranium from Southern Shensi Province, China, provides the earliest record of Homo erectus in northern east Asia, and is morphologically the most primitive specimen in the entire world. Importantly, the Kungwangling Lantian cranium (calvarium plus face), with associated stone tools in good geologic and paleontological context, is demonstrably both earlier and more primitive than the Choukoutien I remains. Faunal and palynological evidence support a mid‐Mosbachium equivalent age (some 700,000 years). These facts are not recognized in the original Chinese reports. The Chenchiawo Lantian mandible, like the Choukoutien I remains, is attributable to the Holstein‐equivalent in China (some 300,000 years ago), and therefore should no longer be temporally associated with the Kungwangling Lantian cranium. However, that the mandible may be morphologically associated with either calls attention to the relative independence of the mandible in human evolution. A comparative study of some modern Mongoloid populations in which very large mandibles may or may not be associated with a scaphoid keel or sagittal elevation depending upon the size and shape of the cranium demonstrates the relative autonomy of the mandible. Continuing selection pressure for a masticatory complex with large jaws provides another point of continuity between East Asian fossil and modern Mongoloid hunting populations such as Eskimos and Aleuts. A number of morphological features of the cranium, especially vault thickness, cranial capacity and reinforcement system, conform to expectation and confirm a general trend of reduction in vault thickness and reinforcement system with increase in cranial capacity over time within the single human species

Archaeology · Australopithecus · Biology · Context (archaeology · Crania · Cranial vault · Fossil Record · Genus · Geography · Homo erectus · Human evolution · Mandible (arthropod mouthpart · Mongoloid · Neanderthal · Pleistocene · Population · Skull · Zoology · Demography · Evolution and Paleontology Studies · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Geology · Paleontology · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology