Scholars@Duke
Steven E. Churchill

Steven E. Churchill

Professor in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology
Evolutionary Anthropology
churchy@duke.edu
Duke Box 90383, Durham, NC 27708-0383
Duke University, Evolutionary Anthropology, 130 Science Drive, Room 108, Durham, NC 27708

Selected Publications

Projectile point morphology and penetration performance

Journal Article Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports · April 1, 2023 Prehistoric pointed lithic armatures (used to tip spears, darts, and arrows) vary considerably in mechanically-relevant aspects of their morphology, such as tip cross-sectional shape, cross-sectional perimeter, and cross-sectional area, mechanical advantag ... Full text Cite

Getting it right: Teaching undergraduate biology to undermine racial essentialism.

Journal Article Biology methods & protocols · January 2023 How we teach human genetics matters for social equity. The biology curriculum appears to be a crucial locus of intervention for either reinforcing or undermining students' racial essentialist views. The Mendelian genetic models dominating textbooks, partic ... Full text Cite

Midfacial Morphology and Neandertal-Modern Human Interbreeding.

Journal Article Biology · August 2022 Ancient DNA from, Neandertal and modern human fossils, and comparative morphological analyses of them, reveal a complex history of interbreeding between these lineages and the introgression of Neandertal genes into modern human genomes. Despite substantial ... Full text Open Access Cite

New fossils of Australopithecus sediba reveal a nearly complete lower back.

Journal Article eLife · November 2021 Adaptations of the lower back to bipedalism are frequently discussed but infrequently demonstrated in early fossil hominins. Newly discovered lumbar vertebrae contribute to a near-complete lower back of Malapa Hominin 2 (MH2), offering additional insights ... Full text Cite

The Homo naledi shoulder girdle: An adaptation to boulder climbing

Journal Article Anthropologie (France) · December 1, 2020 Featured Publication Homo naledi, a recently discovered hominin species from the Rising Star cave complex in Gauteng Province, South Africa, is a surprising species in more ways than one. The conditions of accumulation, as well as the location of these remains in the cave are ... Full text Cite

Predicting body mass of bonobos (Pan paniscus) with human-based morphometric equations.

Journal Article Am J Primatol · February 2020 Featured Publication A primate's body mass covaries with numerous ecological, physiological, and behavioral characteristics. This versatility and potential to provide insight into an animal's life has made body mass prediction a frequent and important objective in paleoanthrop ... Full text Link to item Cite

Morphology of the Homo naledi femora from Lesedi.

Journal Article Am J Phys Anthropol · September 2019 OBJECTIVES: The femoral remains recovered from the Lesedi Chamber are among the most complete South African fossil hominin femora discovered to date and offer new and valuable insights into the anatomy and variation of the bone in Homo naledi. While the fe ... Full text Link to item Cite

Distinct among Neanderthals: The scapula of the skeleton from Altamura, Italy

Journal Article Quaternary Science Reviews · August 1, 2019 The exceptionally well-preserved Neanderthal skeleton discovered in October 1993 within the Lamalunga cave near Altamura (Puglia, Italy) has been recently dated to a late Middle Pleistocene chronology, bracketed between 128.2 and 187.0 ka. Although the ske ... Full text Cite

Femoral neck and shaft structure in Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber (Rising Star System, South Africa).

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · August 2019 The abundant femoral assemblage of Homo naledi found in the Dinaledi Chamber provides a unique opportunity to test hypotheses regarding the taxonomy, locomotion, and loading patterns of this species. Here we describe neck and shaft cross-sectional structur ... Full text Cite

Speeding in the slow lane: Phylogenetic comparative analyses reveal that not all human life history traits are exceptional.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · May 2019 Humans are thought to exhibit an unusual suite of life history traits relative to other primates, with a longer lifespan, later age at first reproduction, and shorter interbirth interval. These assumptions are key components of popular hypotheses about hum ... Full text Cite

A comparison of hominin teeth from Lincoln Cave, Sterkfontein L/63, and the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa

Journal Article South African Journal of Science · May 1, 2019 Prior to the recovery of Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star Cave system, the Middle Pleistocene fossil record in Africa was particularly sparse. With the large sample size now available from Dinaledi, the opportunity exists to reasses ... Full text Cite

The Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition in Northwest Italy: new evidence from Riparo Bombrini (Balzi Rossi, Liguria, Italy)

Journal Article Quaternary International · March 1, 2019 We report here preliminary results from four seasons of excavation at the rockshelter of Riparo Bombrini (2002–2005). Three markedly separate horizons were uncovered: the deepest, comprising Levels M1-7, yielded abundant Mousterian lithics and faunal remai ... Full text Cite

A nearly complete lower back of Australopithecus sediba

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2019 Link to item Cite

Homo naledi pelvic remains from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · December 2018 In the hominin fossil record, pelvic remains are sparse and are difficult to attribute taxonomically when they are not directly associated with craniodental material. Here we describe the pelvic remains from the Dinaledi Chamber in the Rising Star cave sys ... Full text Cite

Morphometric panel regression equations for predicting body mass in immature humans.

Journal Article Am J Phys Anthropol · May 2018 OBJECTIVES: Predicting body mass is a frequent objective of several anthropological subdisciplines, but there are few published methods for predicting body mass in immature humans. Because most reference samples are composed of adults, predicting body mass ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Femoral neck and shaft structure in Homo naledi

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · April 1, 2018 Link to item Cite

New craniodental remains of the type specimen of Australopithecus sediba

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · April 1, 2018 Link to item Cite

Accuracy of human-based morphometric equations for predicting bonobo body mass

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · April 1, 2018 Link to item Cite

Three-dimensional morphology and comparative anatomy of the Australopithecus sediba scapula

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · April 1, 2018 Link to item Cite

Quantifying human uniqueness through phylogenetic comparative methods

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY · March 1, 2018 Link to item Cite

Evaluating morphometric body mass prediction equations with a juvenile human test sample: accuracy and applicability to small-bodied hominins.

Journal Article J Hum Evol · February 2018 Body mass is an ecologically and biomechanically important variable in the study of hominin biology. Regression equations derived from recent human samples allow for the reasonable prediction of body mass of later, more human-like, and generally larger hom ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Late australopiths and the emergence of homo

Journal Article Annual Review of Anthropology · October 23, 2017 New fossil discoveries and new analyses increasingly blur the lines between Australopithecus and Homo, changing scientific ideas about the transition between the two genera. The concept of the genus itself remains an unsettled issue, though recent fossil d ... Full text Cite

Body size, brain size, and sexual dimorphism in Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · October 2017 Homo erectus and later humans have enlarged body sizes, reduced sexual dimorphism, elongated lower limbs, and increased encephalization compared to Australopithecus, together suggesting a distinct ecological pattern. The mosaic expression of such features ... Full text Cite

Pelvic Morphology in Homo erectus and Early Homo.

Journal Article Anatomical record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007) · May 2017 The evolution of the hominin pelvis is generally seen as involving two broad stages: the establishment of bipedal pelvic morphology by the mid-Pliocene (or earlier), followed by architectural changes necessary to enlarge the birth canal in response to incr ... Full text Cite

New fossil remains of Homo naledi from the Lesedi Chamber, South Africa.

Journal Article eLife · May 2017 The Rising Star cave system has produced abundant fossil hominin remains within the Dinaledi Chamber, representing a minimum of 15 individuals attributed to Homo naledi. Further exploration led to the discovery of hominin material, now comprising 13 ... Full text Cite

The functional significance of iliac buttressing in the genus Homo

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · April 1, 2017 Link to item Cite

The upper limb of Homo naledi.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · March 2017 The evolutionary transition from an ape-like to human-like upper extremity occurred in the context of a behavioral shift from an upper limb predominantly involved in locomotion to one adapted for manipulation. Selection for overarm throwing and endurance r ... Full text Cite

The thigh and leg of Homo naledi.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · March 2017 This paper describes the 108 femoral, patellar, tibial, and fibular elements of a new species of Homo (Homo naledi) discovered in the Dinaledi chamber of the Rising Star cave system in South Africa. Homo naledi possesses a mosaic of primitive, derived, and ... Full text Cite

The vertebrae and ribs of Homo naledi.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · March 2017 Hominin evolution featured shifts from a trunk shape suitable for climbing and housing a large gut to a trunk adapted to bipedalism and higher quality diets. Our knowledge regarding the tempo, mode, and context in which these derived traits evolved has bee ... Full text Cite

The cervical spine of Australopithecus sediba.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · March 2017 Cervical vertebrae are rare in the early hominin fossil record, presenting a challenge for understanding the evolution of the neck and head carriage in hominin evolution. Here, we examine the cervical vertebrae of Australopithecus sediba, which unlike othe ... Full text Cite

Osteogenic tumour in Australopithecus sediba: Earliest hominin evidence for neoplastic disease

Journal Article South African Journal of Science · July 1, 2016 We describe the earliest evidence for neoplastic disease in the hominin lineage. This is reported from the type specimen of the extinct hominin Australopithecus sediba from Malapa, South Africa, dated to 1.98 million years ago. The affected individual was ... Full text Cite

Home-range size in large-bodied carnivores as a model for predicting neandertal territory size.

Journal Article Evolutionary anthropology · May 2016 Adult human foragers expend roughly 30-60 kcal per km in unburdened walking at optimal speeds.(1,2) In the context of foraging rounds and residential moves, they may routinely travel distances of 50-70 km per week, often while carrying loads.(3) Movement o ... Full text Cite

Body size and sexual dimorphism in H. naledi

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2016 Link to item Cite

The shoulder and upper limb of Homo naledi

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2016 Link to item Cite

Primitive pelvic features in a new species of Homo

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2016 Link to item Cite

Functional interpretation of the Homo naledi hand

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2016 Link to item Cite

Thigh and leg remains of Homo naledi

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2016 Link to item Cite

Geological and taphonomic context of excavations within the Rising Star cave system

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2016 Link to item Cite

The axial skeleton and scaling of the trunk in Homo naledi

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2016 Link to item Cite

Homo naledi strides again: preliminary reconstructions of an extinct hominin's gait

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2016 Link to item Cite

Penetration, tissue damage, and lethality of wood-versus lithic-tipped projectiles

Chapter · January 1, 2016 Lithic projectile points are a universal component of the hunting tool kits of archeologically- and historically-known foragers. Recent experimental work with ballistic gelatin targets has shown that lithic-tipped projectiles do not have a marked penetrati ... Full text Cite

The hand of Homo naledi.

Journal Article Nature communications · October 2015 A nearly complete right hand of an adult hominin was recovered from the Rising Star cave system, South Africa. Based on associated hominin material, the bones of this hand are attributed to Homo naledi. This hand reveals a long, robust thumb and derived wr ... Full text Cite

The foot of Homo naledi.

Journal Article Nature communications · October 2015 Modern humans are characterized by a highly specialized foot that reflects our obligate bipedalism. Our understanding of hominin foot evolution is, although, hindered by a paucity of well-associated remains. Here we describe the foot of Homo naledi from Di ... Full text Cite

Geological and taphonomic context for the new hominin species Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa.

Journal Article eLife · September 2015 We describe the physical context of the Dinaledi Chamber within the Rising Star cave, South Africa, which contains the fossils of Homo naledi. Approximately 1550 specimens of hominin remains have been recovered from at least 15 individuals, representing a ... Full text Open Access Cite

Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa.

Journal Article eLife · September 2015 Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human po ... Full text Open Access Cite

Three-dimensional shape analysis of the distal femur of Australopithecus sediba

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2015 Link to item Cite

Morphometric analyses of maxillary and mandibular first molars of Pleistocene hominins

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2015 Link to item Cite

Geometric methods of body mass estimation in small-bodied hominins

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2015 Link to item Cite

Functional morphology of the Neandertal scapular glenoid fossa.

Conference Anatomical record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007) · January 2015 Neandertals and Homo sapiens are known to differ in scapular glenoid fossa morphology. Functional explanations may be appropriate for certain aspects of glenoid fossa morphology; however, other factors--e.g., allometry, evolutionary development--must be ad ... Full text Cite

Sex determination by discriminant function analysis of lumbar vertebrae.

Conference Journal of forensic sciences · January 2015 Sex determination is critical for developing the biological profile of unidentified skeletal remains. When more commonly used elements (os coxa, cranium) for sexing are not available, methods utilizing other skeletal elements are needed. This study aims to ... Full text Cite

Thin on the Ground: Neandertal Biology, Archeology and Ecology

Book · October 6, 2014 For us, the experience of reading Steve Churchill's book Thin on the Ground: Neandertal Biology, Archeology, and Ecology was like that of reading The Origin of Species for the first time. In both Churchill's and Darwin's books, the reader is led carefully ... Full text Cite

Territory size in Canis lupus: Implications for Neandertal mobility

Chapter · April 1, 2014 Inferences about Neandertal home range sizes have historically been reconstructed with reference to lithic raw material transport distances. Here we use data on northern latitude social carnivores to predict home range sizes for Neandertal groups. Given th ... Full text Cite

Australopith lumbar vertebral morphology: Insights from Australopithecus sediba

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2014 Link to item Cite

Pelvic sexual dimorphism in the hominin fossil record

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · March 1, 2014 Link to item Cite

Craniofacial feminization, social tolerance, and the origins of behavioral modernity

Journal Article Current Anthropology · January 1, 2014 The past 200,000 years of human cultural evolution have witnessed the persistent establishment of behaviors involving innovation, planning depth, and abstract and symbolic thought, or what has been called "behavioral modernity." Demographic models based on ... Full text Cite

The upper limb of Australopithecus sediba.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · April 2013 The evolution of the human upper limb involved a change in function from its use for both locomotion and prehension (as in apes) to a predominantly prehensile and manipulative role. Well-preserved forelimb remains of 1.98-million-year-old Australopithecus ... Full text Cite

Mosaic morphology in the thorax of Australopithecus sediba.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · April 2013 The shape of the thorax of early hominins has been a point of contention for more than 30 years. Owing to the generally fragmentary nature of fossil hominin ribs, few specimens have been recovered that have rib remains complete enough to allow accurate rea ... Full text Cite

The vertebral column of Australopithecus sediba.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · April 2013 Two partial vertebral columns of Australopithecus sediba grant insight into aspects of early hominin spinal mobility, lumbar curvature, vertebral formula, and transitional vertebra position. Au. sediba likely possessed five non-rib-bearing lumbar vertebrae ... Full text Cite

Mandibular remains support taxonomic validity of Australopithecus sediba.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · April 2013 Since the announcement of the species Australopithecus sediba, questions have been raised over whether the Malapa fossils represent a valid taxon or whether inadequate allowance was made for intraspecific variation, in particular with reference to the temp ... Full text Cite

The lower limb and mechanics of walking in Australopithecus sediba.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · April 2013 The discovery of a relatively complete Australopithecus sediba adult female skeleton permits a detailed locomotor analysis in which joint systems can be integrated to form a comprehensive picture of gait kinematics in this late australopith. Here we descri ... Full text Cite

Australopithecus sediba from Malapa, South Africa

Chapter · January 1, 2013 First discovered in August of 2008, the site of Malapa, South Africa revealed two relatively complete partial skeletons that we assigned to a new species, Australopithecus sediba. Additional individuals have since been detected, and await excavation at the ... Full text Cite

The number of vertebrae in early hominins: insights from Australopithecus sediba.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2013 Link to item Cite

The Vindija Neanderthal scapular glenoid fossa: comparative shape analysis suggests evo-devo changes among Neanderthals.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · February 2012 Although the shape of the scapular glenoid fossa (SGF) may be influenced by epigenetic and developmental factors, there appears to be strong genetic control over its overall form, such that variation within and between hominin taxa in SGF shape may contain ... Full text Cite

Acetabulocristal buttressing in hominins

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2012 Link to item Cite

The primitive aspects of the foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2012 Link to item Cite

Morphological correlates of human hip osteoarthritis.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2012 Link to item Cite

Size and shape in the primate forelimb.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2012 Link to item Cite

A partial pelvis of Australopithecus sediba.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · September 2011 The fossil record of the hominin pelvis reflects important evolutionary changes in locomotion and parturition. The partial pelves of two individuals of Australopithecus sediba were reconstructed from previously reported finds and new material. These remain ... Full text Cite

Australopithecus sediba hand demonstrates mosaic evolution of locomotor and manipulative abilities.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · September 2011 Hand bones from a single individual with a clear taxonomic affiliation are scarce in the hominin fossil record, which has hampered understanding the evolution of manipulative abilities in hominins. Here we describe and analyze a nearly complete wrist and h ... Full text Cite

The foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · September 2011 A well-preserved and articulated partial foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba, including an associated complete adult distal tibia, talus, and calcaneus, have been discovered at the Malapa site, South Africa, and reported in direct association with th ... Full text Cite

Australopithecus sediba at 1.977 Ma and implications for the origins of the genus Homo.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · September 2011 Newly exposed cave sediments at the Malapa site include a flowstone layer capping the sedimentary unit containing the Australopithecus sediba fossils. Uranium-lead dating of the flowstone, combined with paleomagnetic and stratigraphic analysis of the flows ... Full text Cite

Regional survey for Middle Stone Age deposits of the Virginia-Theunissen area of the Free State

Journal Article Navorsinge van die Nasionale Museum Bloemfontein · 2011 Cite

Evolution of the hominin hand: old and new evidence from the Plio-Pleistocene.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2011 Link to item Cite

Craniodental remains of Australopithecus sediba from Malapa, South Africa.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2011 Link to item Cite

Territory size in Canis lupus: implications for Neandertal mobility

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2011 Link to item Cite

Subsistence activities and the sexual division of labor in the European Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic: evidence from upper limb enthesopathies.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · July 2010 Studies of cultural artifacts and faunal remains from European Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic sites indicate a shift in hunter gatherer subsistence strategies, involving an intensification and diversification of resource exploitation relative to earlier ... Full text Cite

Australopithecus sediba: a new species of Homo-like australopith from South Africa.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · April 2010 Despite a rich African Plio-Pleistocene hominin fossil record, the ancestry of Homo and its relation to earlier australopithecines remain unresolved. Here we report on two partial skeletons with an age of 1.95 to 1.78 million years. The fossils were encase ... Full text Cite

Geological setting and age of Australopithecus sediba from southern Africa.

Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · April 2010 We describe the geological, geochronological, geomorphological, and faunal context of the Malapa site and the fossils of Australopithecus sediba. The hominins occur with a macrofauna assemblage that existed in Africa between 2.36 and 1.50 million years ago ... Full text Cite

The Plio-Pleistocene ancestor of wild dogs, Lycaon sekowei n. sp

Journal Article Journal of Paleontology · March 1, 2010 African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) occupy an ecological niche characterized by hypercarnivory and cursorial hunting. Previous interpretations drawn from a limited, mostly Eurasian fossil record suggest that the evolutionary shift to cursorial hunting preced ... Full text Cite

Non-dietary abrasives and the evolution of hominin megadonty.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · 2010 Cite

Shanidar 3 Neandertal rib puncture wound and paleolithic weaponry.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · August 2009 Since its discovery and initial description in the 1960s, the penetrating lesion to the left ninth rib of the Shanidar 3 Neandertal has been a focus for discussion about interpersonal violence and weapon technology in the Middle Paleolithic. Recent experim ... Full text Cite

New Australopithecus robustus fossils and associated U-Pb dates from Cooper's Cave (Gauteng, South Africa).

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · May 2009 Australopithecus robustus is one of the best represented hominin taxa in Africa, with hundreds of specimens recovered from six fossil localities in the Bloubank Valley area of Gauteng Province, South Africa. However, precise geochronological ages are prese ... Full text Cite

Throwing in the Middle and Upper Paleolithic: inferences from an analysis of humeral retroversion.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · January 2009 When in evolutionary history did long-range projectile weapons become an important component of hunting toolkits? The archeological evidence for the development of projectile weaponry is complex and generally indirect, and has led to different conclusions ... Full text Cite

The Evolution of the Human Capacity for “Killing at a Distance”: The Human Fossil Evidence for the Evolution of Projectile Weaponry

Chapter · January 1, 2009 Recent analyses of MSA and Middle Paleolithic points suggest that true long-range projectile weaponry — most likely in the form of spearthrower-delivered darts — evolved in Africa sometime between 90–70 ky BP, and was part of the tool kit of modern humans ... Full text Cite

Faunal assemblage composition and paleoenvironment of Plovers Lake, a Middle Stone Age locality in Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · December 2008 Plovers Lake is a dolomitic cave infill located approximately 45km northwest of Johannesburg in the Bloubank Valley, Gauteng Province, South Africa. Excavations between 2002-2004 revealed a rich and diverse fauna, a moderate-sized stone tool assemblage of ... Full text Cite

Small-bodied humans from Palau, Micronesia.

Journal Article PloS one · March 2008 UnlabelledNewly discovered fossil assemblages of small bodied Homo sapiens from Palau, Micronesia possess characters thought to be taxonomically primitive for the genus Homo.BackgroundRecent surface collection and test excavation in limes ... Full text Open Access Cite

A sabre-tooth felid from Coopers Cave (Gauteng, South Africa) and its implications for Megantereon (Felidae: Machairodontinae) taxonomy

Journal Article Palaeontologia Africana · May 1, 2007 Metrical and morphological analysis of a new sabre-tooth felid mandible recovered from the Plio-Pleistocene hominid-bearing site of Coopers, South Africa, indicates that it can be assigned to the genus Megantereon, though it is by some measures the smalles ... Cite

The evolution of Bison bison: A view from the Southern Plains

Journal Article Bull. Texas Arch. Soc. · 2007 Cite

Archaic and modern human distal humeral morphology.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · December 2006 The morphology of the proximal ulna has been shown to effectively differentiate archaic or premodern humans (such as Homo heidelbergensis and H. neanderthalensis) from modern humans (H. sapiens). Accordingly, the morphology of adjacent, articulating elemen ... Full text Cite

How strong were the Neandertals? Leverage and muscularity at the shoulder and elbow in mousterian foragers

Journal Article Periodicum Biologorum · August 1, 2006 Strength - the ability to exert relatively large forces on objects in the external world -was lively a critical component of Neandertal adaptation to Pleistocene Eurasia. Neandertal postcranial skeletons tend to be robust, reflecting a body that was well a ... Cite

Bioenergetic perspectives on Neanderthal thermoregulatory and activity budgets

Chapter · January 1, 2006 The study of adaptation in Neanderthals is confounded by equifinality – the existence of multiple adaptive pathways to the same morphological end state – manifest as an inability to discriminate between equally likely selective agents behind a given trait. ... Full text Cite

Morphological variation and airflow dynamics in the human nose.

Journal Article American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council · November 2004 Airflow dynamics are recognized as being important to the functioning of the human nose in conditioning and filtering inspired air, yet these dynamics are poorly understood. Despite considerable research on airflow dynamics by otolaryngologists, respirator ... Full text Cite

Experimental evidence concerning spear use in Neandertals and early modern humans

Journal Article Journal of Archaeological Science · January 1, 2003 Can a bimanual activity such as thrusting a spear during hunting produce bilateral asymmetries in the strength of the upper limbs? This question is important to arguments about the predatory capabilities of Neandertals and early modern humans. To address t ... Full text Cite

A new technique for reconstructing the vocal anatomy of fossil humans.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2003 Link to item Cite

Plover's Lake: A hominin-bearing Middle Stone Age site in the Witwatersrand Area, South africa.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2003 Link to item Cite

Of Assegais and Bayonets: Reconstructing Prehistoric Spear Use

Journal Article Evolutionary Anthropology · December 1, 2002 Full text Cite

The costal skeleton of Shanidar 3 and a reappraisal of Neandertal thoracic morphology.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · March 2002 For over a century, Neandertal rib remains have engendered frequent discussions of "barrel-shaped" thoraces, largely in the absence of systematic comparison and hard data. We present here a description of the relatively complete ribcage of the Near Eastern ... Full text Cite

Archaic and modern human distal humeral morphology.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 2002 Link to item Cite

Hand morphology, manipulation, and tool use in Neandertals and early modern humans of the Near East.

Journal Article Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · March 2001 Full text Cite

A modern human humerus from the early aurignacian of Vogelherdhöhle (Stetten, Germany).

Journal Article American journal of physical anthropology · June 2000 Implicit in much of the discussion of the cultural and population biological dynamics of modern human origins in Europe is the assumption that the Aurignacian, from its very start, was made by fully modern humans. The veracity of this assumption has been c ... Full text Cite

A Middle Pleistocene human tibia from Hoedjiespunt, Western Cape, South Africa

Journal Article South African Journal of Science · January 1, 2000 A 200-350 KYR BP human tibia has been recovered in association with craniodental remains from the Hoedjiespunt site near Saldhana Bay. The tibia is morphologically similar to other Middle Pleistocene human tibiae from Africa and Europe, indicating a substa ... Cite

Makers of the early Aurignacian of Europe.

Journal Article American journal of physical anthropology · January 2000 Despite intensive study and a number of remarkable discoveries in the last two decades of the 20th century, our understanding of the cultural and biological processes that resulted in the emergence of the Upper Paleolithic and the establishment of modern h ... Full text Cite

Airflow dynamics in the Neandertal nose

Conference JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION · April 1, 1999 Link to item Cite

Diaphyseal cross-sectional geometry of Near Eastern Middle Palaeolithic humans: The humerus

Journal Article Journal of Archaeological Science · January 1, 1999 The Near Eastern Middle Palaeolithic is associated with two hominid lineages, one of late archaic humans from Amud, Dederiyeh, Kebara, Shanidar and Tabun and the other of early modern humans from Qafzeh and Skhul. Biomechanical analysis of their humeral di ... Full text Cite

Long bone shaft robusticity of body proportions of the Saint-Cesaire 1 and Chatelperronian Neanderthal

Journal Article Journal of Archaeological Science · January 1, 1999 The Chatelperronian Saint-Cesaire 1 Neanderthal partial skeleton exhibits an overall morphology similar to earlier Neanderthals, but it is associated with an early Upper Palaeolithic technological complex. To assess whether its habitual mechanical loading ... Full text Cite

Nasal valve function and location as determined by in vitro fluid flow studies.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 1999 Link to item Cite

Morphological variation in the upper respiratory tract and airflow dynamics.

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · January 1, 1999 Link to item Cite

Multivariate analyses of the hominid ulna from Klasies River mouth.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · June 1998 Full text Cite

Locomotion and body proportions of the Saint-Césaire 1 Châtelperronian Neandertal.

Journal Article Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · May 1998 The initial Upper Paleolithic (Châtelperronian) of western Europe was associated with late European Neandertals, best known through the Saint-Césaire 1 partial skeleton. Biomechanical cross-sectional analysis of the Saint-Césaire 1 femoral diaphysis at the ... Full text Cite

EMG of the human flexor pollicis longus muscle: implications for the evolution of hominid tool use.

Journal Article Journal of human evolution · February 1998 Modern humans possess a distinct and well-developed flexor pollicis longus muscle, an extrinsic thumb flexor which is "either rudimentary or absent" in great apes (Straus, 1942, p. 228). Previous workers (e.g., Napier, 1962; Susman, 1988) have related the ... Full text Cite

Muscle Marking Morphology and Labour Intensity in Prehistoric Khoisan Foragers

Journal Article International Journal of Osteoarchaeology · January 1, 1998 As indicators of the intensity and frequency of muscle activity, the rugosity and size of muscle insertion areas in human skeletal remains may provide a record of average work effort in past populations. In this paper a diet breadth model derived from opti ... Full text Cite

Cold adaptation, heterochrony, and Neandertals

Journal Article Evolutionary Anthropology · January 1, 1998 Since the writings of Clark Howell and Carleton Coon, the distinctive craniofacial and postcranial morphology of Neandertals has been associated with the frigid glacial climates of Pleistocene Europe. Direct associations between Ice-Age climate and Neander ... Full text Cite

Tool use in Homo and Australopithecus

Conference JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION · April 1, 1997 Link to item Cite

A Case of Marked Bilateral Asymmetry in the Upper Limbs of an Upper Palaeolithic Male from Barma Grande (Liguria), Italy

Journal Article International Journal of Osteoarchaeology · January 1, 1997 Barma Grande 2, a male skeleton of upper palaeolithic age from Balzi Rossi (Liguria, Italy), shows a marked degree of upper limb bilateral asymmetry. Similar cases of asymmetry in palaeolithic hominid fossils have variously been attributed to high levels o ... Full text Cite

Identification of Euro-Americans, Afro-Americans, and Amerindians from palatal dimensions.

Journal Article Journal of forensic sciences · January 1997 Seven measurements were taken on 414 Euro-American, Afro-American, and Amerindian palates in an attempt to evaluate differences in dental arcade shape among these three groups. Width measurements across the palate at the first incisor, canine, second premo ... Cite

Particulate versus integrated evolution of the upper body in late pleistocene humans: a test of two models.

Journal Article American journal of physical anthropology · August 1996 Evolutionary biologists are largely polarized in their approaches to integrating microevolutionary and macroevolutionary processes. Neo-Darwinians typically seek to identify population-level selective and genetic processes that culminate in macroevolutiona ... Full text Cite

Morphological affinities of the proximal ulna from Klasies River main site: Archaic or modern?

Journal Article Journal of Human Evolution · January 1, 1996 The Middle Stone Age (MSA) asociated hominids from Klasies River Mouth (KRM) have taken on a key role in debate about the origins of modern humans, with their craniofacial remains seen as either representing the earliest well-dated modern humans in souther ... Full text Cite

Postcranial robusticity in Homo. II: Humeral bilateral asymmetry and bone plasticity.

Journal Article American journal of physical anthropology · January 1994 The analysis of humeral asymmetry in Recent human skeletal samples and an extant tennis-player sample documents minimal asymmetry in bone length, little asymmetry in distal humeral articular breadth, but pronounced and variable asymmetry in mid- and distal ... Full text Cite

Weapon Technology, Prey Size Selection, and Hunting Methods in Modern Hunter‐Gatherers: Implications for Hunting in the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic

Journal Article Archeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association · January 1, 1993 The ethnographic and ethnohistoric literature on a global sample of 96 recent hunting peoples was surveyed to explore the relationships between weapons, prey body‐size, and terrestrial hunting techniques. Findings include: (1) an association between the us ... Full text Cite

Neandertal scapular glenoid morphology.

Journal Article American journal of physical anthropology · October 1990 Analysis of Neandertal and recent human scapular glenoid fossae reveals that the former had long, narrow, and flat glenoid articular surfaces relative to those of modern humans. Comparison of glenoid length, breadth, and curvature to humeral articular dime ... Full text Cite

NEANDERTAL SCAPULAR GLENOID FOSSA MORPHOLOGY

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY · 1988 Cite

Neandertal radial tuberosity orientation.

Journal Article American journal of physical anthropology · January 1988 Examination of adult and immature Neandertal radii demonstrates that the medial versus anterior orientations of their radial tuberosities fall within recent human ranges of variation, but on the average their radial tuberosities are significantly more medi ... Full text Cite

Makers of the early Aurignacian of Europe.

Journal Article American journal of physical anthropology · January 1, 1969 Despite intensive study and a number of remarkable discoveries in the last two decades of the 20th century, our understanding of the cultural and biological processes that resulted in the emergence of the Upper Paleolithic and the establishment of modern h ... Cite