MABA (MAPA) 439
penetrate far posteriorly. Base of perpendicular plate
very thick and surrounded posteriorly by anterior
ethmoidal air cells.
Interorbital region quite broad (especially given ap-
parent narrowness of face). Frontonasal suture essen-
tially horizontal; arcs strongly from side to side. Nasal
bones bear a strong midline keel along their preserved
length; in profile, are relatively straight and project quite
strongly forward. On the R, lacrimal fossa extremely
shallow; anterior and posterior lacrimal crests undevel-
oped. Outer surface of preserved portion of R zygoma
below zygomaticofrontal suture faces quite strongly lat-
erally (suggesting zygomatic arch had swept back and
was not bowed out significantly from cranial wall). As
preserved on the R, fairly faint temporal line curves
backward from high up behind supraorbital torus and
arcs gently posteriorly. Postorbital constriction relatively
deep just behind supraorbital torus, but quite short a/p.
Given extent of preserved parietal in region of temporal
fossa, greater wing of sphenoid could not have been very
tall, and temporal must have been low and/or posteri-
orly positioned. Well below zygomaticofrontal suture,
back of preserved zygoma deeply excavated. Sagittal
suture appears not to have been interdigitated.
Internally, tall frontal lobes extended well over
orbits; were separated in midline by a stout, vertical,
apparently very long frontal crest. Sagittal sinus and
branches of R and L middle meningeal arteries well
marked.REFERENCESPope, G. 1992. Craniofacial evidence for the origin of
modern humans in China. Yrbk. Phys. Anthopol. 35:Yuan, S. et al. 1986. The dating of southern Chinese Palae-
olithic sites by uranium method. Acta Anthopol. Sin. 5:Woo, J.-K. and R. C. Peng. 1959. Fossil human skull of
early Paleoanthropic stage found at Mapa, Shaoquan,
Kwangtung Province. Vert. Palasiat. 3: 176-182.
Wu, X. and M. Wu. 1985. Early Homo sapiens in China. In:
R. Wu and J. Olsen (eds), Palaeoanthropology and Palae-
olithic Archaeology in the PeopIek Republic of China.
Orlando, FL, Academic Press, pp. 91-106.243-298.179-190.Repository
Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropol-
ogy, PO. Box 643,100044 Beijing, China.