196 AFRICA
occipital piece, parts of L and R temporal, an
incomplete maxilla and mandible with teeth, and
an isolated upper premolar. Plausibly all from same
adult individual. Braincase lightly built, thin boned.
Also an incomplete mandible consisting of R corpus
with some ramus, and more heavily reconstructed L
partial corpus.
Cranial Fragments. Maxilla reconstructed from
parts of palate, with LP1-M3 and M1-3. On the L,
pterygoid plates were parallel to one another. On the
R, maxillary sinus extended back to maxillary pole.
Tooth rows need to be reconstructed as more parallel
than at present. Palate was apparently relatively long
compared to width; appears to have been relatively
shallow, with sloping lateral walls, very large palatine
foramina, and a strong crest posteriorly in midline.
Possible indication on R side of posterior part of
anterior root of zygomatic arch, suggesting the
anterior root extended back at least level with M1 and
took origin high above it.
L temporal fragment more complete than R R
consists of area around articular fossa. On the L, a m/l
wide mandibular fossa is preserved; it flows smoothly
out and up anteriorly with no articular eminence and is
defined posteriorly by m/l wide, vertical postglenoid
plate. With specimen oriented with foramen ovale
pointing more or less down, the rather wide posterior
root of zygomatic arch also slopes somewhat down-
wardly. Squamous portion very short; a small part of an-
terior suture is preserved. Foramen spinosum apparently
quite small, contained just within sphenoid. Foramen
ovale large, oriented anterolaterally (not anteromedi-
ally). Pterygoid plates broken off, exposing vacuous
pneumatization of their common root. No delineation
of temporal and infratemporal fossae; temporal fossa
very short a/p and shallow laterally, at least inferiorly.
Parietal/occipital piece thin boned; heavily but
apparently accurately reconstructed. Piece consists of
most of R and small posterior part of L parietal, con-
tinuous with L central portion of occipital. In profile,
braincase apparently had fairly dome-shaped contour;
rear of skull curved smoothly around to and beyond
low-set, downwardly pointed, very small external oc-
cipital protuberance. Seen from rear, braincase seems
to have been fairly rounded from side to side.
On the L, part of a very low, faint temporal line is
preserved; line seems to have extended high up on
side of vault, coming to within 2 cm of sagittal suture.
At least anteriorly, sagittal suture uniformly, shallowly
denticulated. Posteriorly, what represents itself in the
reconstruction as the sagittal suture is much more
coarsely and deeply denticulated. Part of lambdoid su-
ture preserved on the L; runs quite steeply up toward
lambda and appears to have been uniformly, shallowly
denticulated. On the R, superior portion of lambdoid
suture preserved; trajectory same as on L. Lambda it-
self largely broken. Internally, superior sagittal sinus
well defined; veers off to R to continue as transverse
sinus above the modest internal occipital protuber-
ance, which lies more anteriorly than its external
counterpart. L transverse sinus faint; emanates from
side of internal occipital protuberance. Inferior to pro-
tuberance lies a shallow triangular depression bounded
by two low, mound-like crests that diverge as they
leave region of protuberance. Topographically, these
two crests mirror accessory sinuses. Impressions for
occipital lobes not discernible (artifactual?).Mandible. Relatively robust, especially posteriorly,
for an individual of this size. Corpora relatively
shallow relative to lateral thickness. In side view
inferior margins of corpora form an a/p curve.
Symphyseal region very small, and especially short s/i.
Externally, symphyseal profile rather straight, slightly
backwardly inclined. Postincisal plane short s/i, quite
horizontal, then curves smoothly around to inferior
margin. Details of latter region obliterated by damage.
No genial pit (because of damage or because there
wasn’t one?). Viewed from above, very tight curve
across front; as seen on the R, external surface of
corpus diverges more strongly than tooth rows. From
below, corpora even in thickness b/l between Cs;
broaden dramatically to M3. Large mental foramen
lies beneath septum between P1 and 2. Maximum b/l
thickness of corpus achieved at level of M2, behind
which bone thins drastically to flow into very thin
ramus. Anterior root of ramus takes origin level with
distal part of M2; anterior margin rises quite steeply,
masking only half of M3. Internally, a strong, almost
vertical pillar descends from below what had been
region of sigmoid notch, and curves around just
behind M3 to run into lingual alveolar margin. Gutter
between ramus and M3 not very broad. Virtually no
muscle scars (internally or externally) on preserved
part of smooth R gonial region. Mandibular foramen
quite large, funnel shape; opens vertically; aperture lies
below occlusal level of M3. No lingula. Faintest of
mylohyoid lines preserved on the R. Submandibular
fossa restricted to area below M2 and 3.