110 A F R I c A
and still distinct posteriorly, where they arc upward
again posterior to coronoid suture before redescending.
Temporal fossa small, very short a/p; deeply excavated
only anteriorly, along greater wing of sphenoid. Ante-
rior squamous suture has distinct vertical ridge that di-
vides fossa into anterior and posterior compartments.
Short horizontal flexion, low down along alisphenoid,
demarcates temporal from infratemporal fossa. Sphe-
noid sinus expands greatly laterally, right into greater
wing of sphenoid.
Posterior root of zygomatic arch forms a long,
broad superior shelf that extends far anteriorly.
Suprameatal crest weakly developed; lies between
posterior root of zygomatic arch (this area damaged)
and swelling (not crest) in supramastoid region;
swelling separated from anterior mastoid crest by
narrow groove. Anterior mastoid crest present and
runs obliquely up from low anterior mastoid tuber-
cle. Articular fossa broad laterally and constricted
a /p; secondary articular surface extends anteriorly
onto articular eminence (seems related to strong an-
terior dental wear and overbite). Posterior articular
region flows smoothly into wall around styloid re-
gion. Mastoid process low, stout, and obliquely ori-
ented, sloping forward and down. Occipitomastoid
crest broad and most pronounced medial to suture; a
fissure along both may have contained occipital
artery. Short but distinct Waldeyer’s crest lies quite
posteriorly. Jugular process small and projects later-
ally. Protuberance of bone behind styloid region
close to jugular/carotid fossa formed stout wall
around most of styloid pit; no trace of styloid
process. Vaginal process absent. Stylomastoid fora-
men very large; it lies directly in line with mastoid
groove (implying no prominent styloid process, be-
cause posterior digastric tendon would have had to
run right across it?).
Occipital condyle remodeled; articular surface
(originally quite small) now extends into postcondylar
fossa. Foramen lacerum small. Petrosal short antero-
medial to carotid foramen; lateral portion relatively
much longer. Kidney-shaped carotid foramen was
very large. Kidney-shaped jugular foramen, with
broad, short septum, lay very close to carotid foramen.
Both foramina opened into common external
vestibule. Axes of jugular and carotid foramina con-
verge markedly (jugular was oriented markedly for-
ward). Base of medial pterygoid plate extends laterally
beyond margin of basisphenoid and protrudes as small
eminence. Medial pterygoid hamulus protrudes
downward and medially; extends lower than lateral
hamulus; tapers at tip. Alae of vomer lie substantially
anterior to sphenooccipital synchondrosis. “Pharyn-
geal fossae” present in midline just behind spheno-
occipital synchondrosis. Basiocciput broad and flexes
upward; fairly flat externally and tapers in thickness
posteriorly. Front edge of very large, posteriorly taper-
ing foramen magnum straight and broad.
Lambdoid suture rises gently posteriorly, then
runs horizontally toward lambda; anteriorly this su-
ture has no interdigitations; it is uniform and short
posteriorly. Inferior nuchal line torus-like; it tapers
laterally and has distinct but shallow horizontal sulcus
above it (sulcus probably double medially, but area
broken). Coronal suture discretely segmented and in-
terdigitated in middle part. Sagittal suture basically
unsegmented with very short S1 portion, but uniform
interdigitation on the rest.
Palate deep posteriorly and slopes gently from be-
hind incisors to P1 and 2; transverse curve is rather
flat. Maxillary torus divided, with central sulcus. Pos-
terior nasal spine quite prominent, projecting at back.
Incisive foramen single, V shaped, and only moder-
ately large; opening flat, not recessed.
Internally, frontal lobes extend only over very rear-
most portion of orbits. Superior sagittal sinus veers to
R and is confluent with R transverse sinus. L trans-
verse sinus poorly marked. Petrosal has low arcuate
eminence, quite laterally placed. Superior petrous sinus
absent, but there is a distinct edge in that region.
Cochlear canaliculus lacking. Hypophyseal fossa mod-
erately shallow, broad from side to side; plane of jugum
only slightly taller than dorsum sellae. Chiasmatic
groove faintly impressed and then only near entrance
to optic foramen. R anterior clinoid process preserved;
like lesser wings of sphenoid, it is thin. Middle clinoid
processes lacking. R posterior clinoid process small and
pointed. Dorsum sellae flexed anteriorly where lower
margin of optic chiasma would have been; flexure is
only noteworthy character on tuberculum sellae.
Upper teeth preserve little morphology. C was
large. M1 and 2 were large, probably subequal in size,
with developed hypocone regions. M3 smaller, sub-
ovoid, with truncated metacone.Kabwe Palate
Fragment of R maxilla from midline to maxillary tu-
bercle, and containing M3, part of M2, and alveoli of
other teeth. Significantly smaller than palate of