Early Upper Paleolithic human foot bones from Manot Cave, Israel

Area of Science:

• Paleoanthropology
• Human Evolution
• Archaeology

Background:

• The transition from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic in the Levant is crucial for understanding modern human dispersal.
• Scarcity of human remains from this period limits anatomical studies of early Upper Paleolithic populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and analyze pedal bones from the Early Upper Paleolithic at Manot Cave, Israel.
• To compare the morphology of these remains with Neanderthals and Anatomically Modern Humans.

Main Methods:

• Excavation and recovery of pedal bones (talus, calcaneus, cuboid, metatarsals, sesamoid) from Manot Cave.
• Comparative morphological analysis of size and shape with Neanderthal and modern human fossil and recent samples.

Main Results:

• The Manot Cave foot bones exhibit a predominantly modern human morphology.
• Specific characteristics show a resemblance to Neanderthal foot bone patterns.
• The foot displays overall gracility, and a healed Lisfranc's fracture was identified on the second metatarsal.

Conclusions:

• The Manot Cave remains represent an early modern human with some archaic features, offering insights into population dynamics during this transitional period.
• The healed injury suggests a supportive social environment and mutual care within the Manot Cave community.