descends gently posteriorly to parietal notch
(squamosal is thus asymmetrically triangular in side
view). Some internal flexure from anterior squamosal
suture to alisphenoid, but medial contour of temporal
fossa was smoothly contoured, with no flexure or
crease delineating infratemporal fossa below. Tempo-
ral fossa quite small, narrow both laterally and a/p,
and deepest right behind very posteriorly facing
postorbital wall; it comes quite sharply out again pos-
teriorly. Parietal notch lies well back, over posterior
margin of mastoid process. Parietomastoid suture
more or less horizontal and not very long. Posterior
root of zygomatic arch originates just in front of mid-
line of auditory meatus and expands gently anterolat-
erally. Articular fossa fairly deep and defined anteri-
orly by a well-developed articular eminence. Medial
side of articular fossa closed off by posterior deflection
of anterior part of articular eminence; would not have
borne a distinct medial articular tubercle. Postglenoid
plate low, stout, wide, and was closely appressed to
ectotympanic tube. Ectotympanic gone except for
vestige of posterior wall that is closely appressed to
mastoid process for most of its length. From impres-
sion left by ectotympanic tube, it appears that audi-
tory meatus would have been ovoid and its axis tilted
posteriorly. Internally, petrosal appears to have been
narrow from side to side, lacking distinct subarcuate
fossa and superior petrosal sinus. Basal aspect of pet-
rosal region missing. Mastoid crest distinct; appears to
have originated at midline of mastoid process and to
have been continuous anteriorly with distinct supra-
meatal crest.
Occipital broad biasterionically. Very long lam-
bdoid suture rises gently to peak at lambda. No
anterior lambdoid suture. Above superior nuchal line,
occipital plane smoothly curved; below, curve under-
cut by slightly convex from side to side, laterally shal-
lowly concave, nuchal plane. No occipitomastoid crest
detectable. Lateral to occipitomastoid suture is a long
slope into mastoid notch; notch defined laterally by
short, vertical, pointed, laterally compressed mastoid
process.
Most of palate posterior to Mls missing; as pre-
served, cheek tooth rows appear to be gently diverging
posteriorly. Palate not very deep; all sides slope gently
to the rather horizontal palatal roof, with distinct
palatal torus posteriorly. Single incisive foramen small
and very anteriorly placed. Greater palatine nerves
and arteries were completely encased in palate from
about level of Mls anteriorly.
Cranial sutures finely denticulated and not differ-
entiated. Coronal suture more strongly fused laterally
than centrally.
Internally, frontal sinuses visible but restricted to
midline. Sinuses do not seem to have penetrated far
into frontal; there were apparently also invasions
behind sinuses from ethmoid. Capacious maxillary
sinuses expanded quite far laterally into anterior zy-
gomatic roots; they do not appear to have penetrated
significantly into frontal processes. Frontal crest verti-
cal and quite well marked. Frontal lobes extend quite
far forward over orbits.
Judging by preserved roots, I1 was much larger
than 12. C was not stout. Preserved Ps would have had
two distinct roots at some point along their length.
From the R, it appears that M1 was small crowned
and mesiodistally short.Jebel Irhoud 2
Description is from cast; original was seen briefly.
Partial cranium reconstructed from several fragments.
Lacks basicranium and bits of vault, especially on the
R, and also face except for supraorbital region.
Cranium is moderately large; except for frontal,
not very thick boned. Viewed from the side, the
frontal rises almost vertically from just behind the
moderately swollen glabellar region. About one-third
back along frontal, profile curves continuously back
to just beyond bregma (there may have been a very
shallow depression there). About level with auditory
meati, profile slopes more gently down and back, and
may have bulged slightly at lambda. Beyond lambda,
profile curves steeply downward to region of superior
nuchal line, which is undercut by a well-excavated
sulcus. Below this, nuchal plane runs moderately
steeply forward and down. From rear, skull broad, rel-
atively low, almost “en bombe,” and widest across
suprameatal crests. From above, cranium bulbously
broadest just above auditory meati; distance from that
point to moderate postorbital constrictions is rela-
tively short. From above, glabella seems to have been
sunken relative to medial portions of supraorbital
tori; laterally, tori probably retreated gently (although
there is some pathology on both sides, especially on
L). Viewed from front, face narrower than neurocra-
nium, but was apparently quite broad. Interorbital
region was probably very broad. Tori may not have
been confluent across glabella, which was probably
slightly sunken. Despite some bone remodeling on
both sides, tori reach greatest s/i height medial to