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The Middle Pleistocene human tibia from Boxgrove

C B Stringer1, E Trinkaus, M B Roberts

  • 1Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, London, U.K. cbs@nhm.ac.uk

Journal of Human Evolution
|June 6, 1998
PubMed
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The Boxgrove tibia, a Lower Palaeolithic archaeological find, shows robusticity suggesting cold adaptation, possibly linking it to Homo heidelbergensis. Its dimensions challenge previous size estimates for early humans.

Area of Science:

  • Paleoanthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Geology

Background:

  • The Boxgrove tibia was unearthed in 1993, dating to the Middle Pleistocene.
  • It was found in association with Lower Palaeolithic archaeology and fauna.
  • The site's sediments indicate deposition across varied environmental conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the stratigraphic, archaeological, and sedimentological context of the Boxgrove tibia.
  • To analyze the tibia's preservation, morphology, and dimensions.
  • To estimate stature and discuss taxonomic implications.

Main Methods:

  • Stratigraphic and sedimentological analysis of the Boxgrove site.
  • Morphological and dimensional analysis of the tibia.
  • Comparative measurements with fossil and recent human samples.

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Main Results:

  • The tibia exhibits exceptional diaphyseal robusticity, potentially indicating cold-adapted proportions similar to Neanderthals.
  • Reconstructed bone length and stature estimates are within expected ranges, despite large diaphyseal dimensions.
  • Taxonomic assignment is challenging, but it can be classified as non-modern Homo sp., possibly Homo cf. heidelbergensis.

Conclusions:

  • The Boxgrove tibia provides insights into Middle Pleistocene hominid morphology and adaptation.
  • Its robusticity suggests significant physical capabilities or adaptations to colder climates.
  • The specimen contributes to the ongoing discussion of Middle Pleistocene hominid taxonomy.