280 AFRICA
fairly rugose maxillary tuberosity is fairly anteriorly sit-
uated and forms a corner with the rather thin, straight,
posteriorly directed, apparently long zygomatic arch.
Masseteric scarring is on lateral (rather than inferior)
surface of the zygomatic arch.
Nasoalveolar clivus is very broad across, long, and
steeply descending, curving to the vertical far inferi-
orly. Clivus makes an angle with floor of nasal cavity;
inferior nasal margin is otherwise unmarked (no an-
terior nasal spine). Whole clivus region is smooth
across from side to side. Inferior nasal margin is pre-
served across midline; it curves up toward its lateral
margins (suggesting a relatively large, ovoid nasal
aperture). Quite far back on nasal cavity floor are
paired large, funnel-shaped incisive fossae; the sep-
tum between them is missing.
Temporal fossa was apparently quite long, reaching
its widest point far back, behind orbital region. Ante-
rior lambdoid suture apparently flowed smoothly into
temporal fossa. A distinct angle on the alisphenoid
sharply delineates a deeply concave infratemporal fossa.
Articular fossa only partially preserved; appears to have
been quite wide m/l and to have tapered to its highest
point. Posterior side of fossa is steeper than the anterior
wall, which flows smoothly forward with no eminence.
Posterior root of zygomatic arch may have taken origin
at level of fossa. The piece of bone reconstructed above
the broken auditory meatus should not be there (is part
of articular fossa from other side); it gives impression
that the meatus extended much higher than it did.
Tubular ectotympanic partially damaged; it was ap-
pressed to the front of the mastoid process and was
apparently quite compressed a/p. Inferiorly, there is evi-
dence of a low vaginal process that does not extend far
laterally and peaked at the region of the now-broken
styloid process (represented by its thick base). The lat-
ter is moderately separated from the stylomastoid fora-
men behind it. Carotid foramen is relatively small, it
lies quite far medial to styloid process.
Mastoid region is damaged laterally, revealing per-
vasive and moderately sized air cells. What is preserved
of mastoid process is a small, apparently blunt tip that is
separated from a fairly well-developed, broad paramas-
toid crest by a relatively deep, m/l broad mastoid notch
with no digastric fossa behind it. Stylomastoid foramen
is fairly large and lies well anterior and slightly medial to
mastoid notch. A shallow groove lies medial to the
paramastoid crest, separating it from a very low, broad
occipitomastoid crest. Further medially is a depression
bounded medially by a distinct, thin Waldeyer’s crest.
Palate is very long a/p, extremely narrow from
side to side; its sides are parallel or may even have
converged posteriorly. Judging from the L, side wall of
palate was fairly steep, almost vertical posteriorly; at
the front, the side wall is quite steep, too. Incisive
foramen fairly large, elongate; lies behind Ils, level
with lingual root of Pls. Foramen ovale lies well
within the sphenoid; the bone around this foramen
shows no sign of a foramen spinosum, at least exter-
nally. Lateral pterygoid plate is preserved; it is not
very tall s/i but is relatively distended posteriorly, and
would have been well separated from the medial
pterygoid plate.
Internally, the posterior part of petrosal is missing;
some of its surface is flaked off. No evidence of a dis-
cretely domed arcuate eminence. Sub-subarcuate fossa
present. Sigmoid sinus broad and deep; runs around
posterior end of petrosal. Carotid canal rather small,
almost completely closed over. Opening on medial as-
pect of superior surface of petrosal could be a foramen
spinosum; it is in the right place to be continuous
with a broad, deep groove (presumably for middle
branch of middle meningeal artery) that runs along
lateral aspect of sphenoid in middle cranial fossa. Evi-
dence of a large sphenoid sinus that extended laterally
as far as the foramen ovale.
Anterior teeth occupied a relatively small space,
and were arranged in a row that runs more or less
straight across. Buccal roots of Pls lie lateral to Cs and
would thus have formed “corners” of the dental arcade.
I1 roots were conical and not very long; are slightly
larger than the more compressed I2 roots. C roots were
laterally compressed, not appreciably larger b/l than
the Is, but were somewhat longer m/d. Pls may have
been three rooted. LM3 is large for specimen this size,
with three large, distinctly separated roots. LM3 crown
is very worn but had a well-developed hypocone and a
truncated metacone (giving an oblique slant to that
side of the crown).
Fragments. Isolated L occipital condylar region.
Condyle rather small and quite strongly arced from
front to back. Anterior condylar foramen large.
Preserved part of jugular notch indicates relatively
small jugular foramen. Tiny part of basiocciput shows
evidence of sphenoidal sinus expansion.
SK 8476 h, and i are fragments of cranial bone
and generally uninformative. SK 847c is apparently
from floor of anterior cranial fossa. SK 847k seems to
represent part of jugal region. SK 847d is glued to
part of R lesser wing of sphenoid retaining an ovoid