80 AFRICA
Saldanha and Kabwe, which are now viewed by many
as Homo heidelbergensis; while Clarke (1985) has urged
comparison with Ngaloba and Omo 2. Griin et al.
(1996) also group the Florisbad hominid with these
“late archaic” African specimens, and with others in
that category, notably Singa, Eliye Springs, and Jebel
Irhoud 1 and 2. McBrearty and Brooks (2000) have
recently revived Dreyer’s name Homo belmei.
MORPHOLOGY
Partial calvaria and face, with isolated RM3 (worn).
Three major pieces and lots of tiny fragments repre-
sent top of cranial vault, reconstructed R face, and
thick fragment of cranial bone (described separately
below). Large and thick boned (probably pathological;
very thick diploic layer and extensive porotic hyperos-
tosis as well as large number of healed lesions, includ-
ing pathological drainage or vascular tracts). A couple
of large puncture marks and some of the scratch-like
marks may reflect carnivore activity.
Partial calvaria consists of top of R orbit and most
of frontal. With frontal crest positioned vertically, roof
of orbit is horizontal, the region around (now missing)
frontonasal suture points appropriately down, and
bregma is in a more correct position (rather than as
familiarly portrayed in rather flat orientation).
Cranial vault high and rounded. Frontal recedes
somewhat directly from supraorbital margin, with
only hint of supratoral plane, especially above glabella.
In side view, cranial vault smoothly curved; in mid-
line, posterior to bregma, sagittal suture lies in shallow
longitudinal depression that veers to the R posteriorly.
In fact, entire vault appears somewhat asymmetrical
from side to side, as also reflected in frontal sinus and
superior sagittal sinus development.
In frontal view, supraorbital margin quite thick s/i
medial to supraorbital notch; thins consistently to zygo-
maticofrontal suture, while remaining quite long a/p.
Seen from above, glabellar region protrudes anteriorly
slightly more than medial portion of superior orbital
rim. Broad supraorbital notch lies medially; superior
orbital margin becomes more protrusive lateral to it (thus,
looking down on frontal, glabella is prominent and the
superior orbital margin is concave as far as the notch,
where it straightens laterally). Viewed from behind,
there is a nice smooth curve across top of braincase.
Orbital roof very shallowly concave; angles
smoothly into lateral portion of superior orbital margin
but more vertically into medial portion, which bears a
distinct, blunt superior toral margin. There is some-
thing of a break centrally between the medial and lat-
eral portions of torus (but this is not a typical bipartite
configuration, especially in lacking both undercutting at
region of supraorbital notch and laterally receding
plate). Interorbital region was moderately broad. Visi-
ble in broken region above (on R) is a fairly capacious
frontal sinus, which continues laterally not even as far
as supraorbital notch, and posteriorly not beyond
supraorbital region. Below this frontal sinus are impres-
sions for three smaller sinuses: a small midline pair, and
a slightly larger sinus laterally on L. Temporal line
emerges from just behind zygomatic process of frontal
and rapidly curves back, lying low on side of skull.
Coronal suture appears to have been moderately inter-
digitated laterally, perhaps less so medially. Deeply
interdigitated sagittal suture visible posterior to bregma.
Internally, frontal crest long and pronounced. In-
ternal bone in frontal region wavy in contour; a few
Pacchionian depressions lie posteriorly. Superior
sagittal sinus veers to R.
Partial facial skeleton consists of broken parts of
nasals, broken R and L frontal processes, part of R
zygoma, and parts of R and L maxillae; none contigu-
ous, but joined with plaster. In profile, anterior face of
zygoma is slightly concave, and points down and back.
Inferior margin of anterior root of zygomatic arch ori-
ented forward and directly out sideways. Frontal
process of zygoma was moderately thick a/p; infero-
lateral corner of orbit is not sharply defined.
As reconstructed, nasals are probably set too low,
since (to judge by their curvature in profile and from side
to side) they are preserved close to frontonasal suture,
which lies presently at mid-orbit. Frontal processes wide
m/l and broadly curved from nasomaxillary suture into
medial orbital region. Lacrimal groove preserved on R;
it is broad, shallow, but not very tall. Anterior lacrimal
crest poorly defined. As reconstructed, frontal process
curves down strongly below orbit, suggesting flattened
superior nasal region; but nasal region seems slightly
broader than it should be. Lateral nasal margin (lateral
crest) blunt along inferolateral border; curves continu-
ously into region of anterior nasal spines, forming angle
between flat floor of nasal cavity and the steep, probably
not very long nasoalveolar clivus. Most of incisive fossa
is preserved on floor of nasal cavity on L; fossa lies well
behind rim of nasal aperture and oriented obliquely an-
teriorly (suggesting that R and L sides of maxilla should
be remounted closer together). Lateral base of R ante-
rior nasal spine preserved (further suggesting that these
two fragments mounted too far apart). No sign of