N r) IT ’r u 189
Homo heidelbergensis. Holloway (2000) gives a cranial
capacity of 1100 ml.
MORPHOLOGY
Partial, rather small adult cranium, extensively
reconstructed. Missing large portions of top, front
and L side of vault, most of palate, L side of face and
basicranium, as well as all teeth.
Braincase convincingly reconstructed as short,
wide, with thick bone due to large diploic space; inner
and outer tables quite thin. Appears that cranium was
quite low but rounded in profile, with a smooth curve
at rear and a steep descent to the poorly defined junc-
ture of occipital and nuchal planes. Although nuchal
plane is quite strongly flexed forward, juncture between
it and occipital plane is smoothly rounded rather than
angular. Seen from rear, cranium straight sided, almost
square in outline; broadest point would (just) have been
across supramastoid crests.
Reconstruction suggests that the small preserved
lateral portion of L supraorbital region shows the mod-
erately thick torus may have projected slightly up as
well as forward, and that behind there was a relatively
long, slightly depressed posttoral surface. It also sug-
gests that the temporal line is extremely low, the ante-
rior surface of torus points quite strongly upward, and
the roof of the orbit slopes markedly backward. But
with the anterior surface of torus and temporal line
more vertically aligned, posttoral plane would be very
much shorter, frontal rise would be steeper, brow ridges
would appear much less projecting, and (overall) cra-
nium would also be even shorter than it already is (i.e.,
would be more “modern looking”). It appears from pre-
served interorbital part of frontal that frontal sinuses
were quite strongly confined, at least laterally. On L,
part of maxillary sinus is preserved; it appears to have
extended slightly into the anterior root of zygomatic
arch, and possibly somewhat up side of nasal aperture.
Interorbital region would have been quite broad.
Nasal bones were probably ridged down midline;
appear to have flexed sharply outward below nasion.
On both sides, lacrimal fossae tall and narrow; ante-
rior and posterior lacrimal crests low but crisply
defined. As preserved on the R these crests closed off
the lacrimal fossa superiorly. Frontal processes of max-
illa were narrow, quite vertical. Face, below orbits and
down to nasal aperture, was rather flat and unproject-
ing. As reconstructed, nasal aperture was moderately
tall and wide relative to its apparent height. On both
sides, what is preserved of lateral nasal margins (lat-
eral crests) is quite thin and sharp. On the L, part of
maxilla preserved; lower part of anterior root of zygo-
matic arch is present, taking origin rather low, not too
far above alveolar region, at level of Ml. It appears
that anterior extent of zygomatic arch faced more or
less directly forward.
Squamous portion of temporal was relatively long;
probably arced high on side of vault, with reasonably
smooth transition across anterior squamosal suture
(from squamous into relatively deep anterior portion
of temporal fossa). Parietal notch shallow, situated far
back. Parietomastoid suture relatively long, fairly
horizontal. Mastoid processes very stout but do not
project much at all. Processes have very flat, broad,
posterolaterally oriented rear surfaces; are bounded in-
ternally by fairly deep, moderately broad, anteromedi-
ally oriented mastoid notches. Notches in turn
bounded medially by thick parallel crests, still well on
mastoid processes. Region of occipitomastoid suture
slightly elevated. On both sides, two foramina lie in
temporal bone, above mastoid process. The posterior
portion of occipitomastoid suture rather vertical; lies
quite medially at back of skull, truncating maximum
width of nuchal plane. On both sides, supramastoid
crest moderate; flows into lower suprameatal crest.
Posterior roots of zygomatic arches broken; upper sur-
face on the L oriented strongly downward. On the L,
part of articular fossa preserved; was moderately wide
m/l, fairly deep, narrow superiorly. Articular eminence
was distinct, long, low, flat. On the L is a very modest
medial articular tubercle and a reasonably wide, well-
developed postglenoid plate.
Occipital plane broad, low; its juncture with
nuchal plane is not very sharply defined, lies very low
down. Juncture delineated above by highest nuchal
line with slight depression above it. Horizontal, later-
ally tapering strip of swollen bone lies between high-
est nuchal line and superior nuchal line well below it.
Part of R margin of foramen magnum preserved; fora-
men appears to have been long, probably ovoid, with
forwardly placed condyles. In midline a very thin
external occipital crest is preserved.
On the R, part of lateral portion of finely inter-
digitated coronal suture is preserved; as reconstructed,
this suture lies quite superiorly (adjustment of upper
face would move it forward). Lambdoid suture
undifferentiated, poorly interdigitated; rises gently
from asterion. Large Wormian bone obscures position
of lambda.