Homo antecessor. Hip disarticulation

HOMO ANTECESSOR. Hip disarticulation

Postmortem separation of the leg from the pelvis in individuals of own species was performed by our evolutionary predecessors. In particular, this was done in the Homo antecessor community, which practiced cannibalism (2003TuttC). Ferna Y. et al. (1999) described evidence of intentional crushing of the femur diaphysis in a young individual (ATD6-76), presumably to extract bone marrow. The bone retained traces of not only several impacts by a striker, but also of an anvil on which the bone lay. The age of the said find in the Gran Dolina cave (Spain) is estimated at about 780 thousand years (1999FernaY_RosellJ).

The above features indicate that the femur was initially separated from the soft tissues. In the second stage, the butcher had to use a stone tool to cut the muscles and strong external ligaments of the hip joint. In the next stage, he tore, or perhaps cut off, the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) to mobilize the hip and further manipulate it.

Homo antecessor
Author: Mauricio Antón; image source: prehistoric-wiki.fandom.com collection (CC-BY-SA license, no changes).

Homo antecessor colonized the Iberian Peninsula 1200-800 Kya (2015MorenoD_ArsuagaJL). Therefore, the skill of hip arthrotomy in hominids could have appeared more than 780 Kya (2001CarreteroJ_ArsuagaJL). It must be assumed that from this period human ancestors learned about the presence of LCF in their hip joint. Hominids observed LCF in animals when cutting up carcasses. The cutting was done with stone hand axes and blades. The oldest stone tools, 3.3 million years old, were discovered in Kenya (2015HarmandS_RocheH). Stone tools from Kenya with signs of wear, implying the processing of plant and animal tissues by hominins, are dated to the interval of 3.03-2.58 Ma (2023PlummerTW_PottsR).

Thus, knowledge of LCF in animals is more than three million years old. This information is contemporary with the genus Homo itself, which formed between 4.30 and 2.56 Ma (2021PüschelHP_PüschelTA).

References

Tutt C. Cannibalism among fossil hominids: Is there archaeological evidence?. The University of Western Ontario Journal of Anthropology. 2003;11(1). [ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php]

Ferna Y, Dı JC, Ca I, Rosell J. Human cannibalism in the Early Pleistocene of Europe (Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). Journal of human evolution. 1999;37(3-4)591-622. [academia.edu]

Moreno D, Falgueres C, Pérez-González A, Voinchet P, Ghaleb B, Despriée J, ... Arsuaga JL. New radiometric dates on the lowest stratigraphical section (TD1 to TD6) of Gran Dolina site (Atapuerca, Spain). Quaternary Geochronology. 2015;30В:535-40. [daviniamoreno.com]

Carretero J, Lorenzo C, Arsuaga JL. Restes post-craniens du niveau TD6 du site en grotte du Pleistocene inferieur de Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Espagne. L'Anthropologie. 2001;105(2)179-201. [sciencedirect.com]

Harmand S, Lewis JE, Feibel CS, Lepre CJ, Prat S, Lenoble A, ... Roche H. 3.3-million-year-old stone tools from Lomekwi 3, West Turkana, Kenya. Nature. 2015;521(7552)310-5. [nature.com]

Plummer TW, Oliver JS, Finestone EM, … Potts R. Expanded geographic distribution and dietary strategies of the earliest Oldowan hominins and Paranthropus. Science. 2023;379(6632)561-6. [researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk]

Divergence-time estimates for hominins provide insight into encephalization and body mass trends in human evolution. Nature ecology & evolution. 2021;5(6)808-19. [nature.com]

Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, doctrine, homo antecessor, disarticulation

The original text in Russian is available at the link: Homo antecessor. Экзартикуляция бедра

NB! Fair practice / use: copied for the purposes of criticism, review, comment, research and private study in accordance with Copyright Laws of the US: 17 U.S.C. §107; Copyright Law of the EU: Dir. 2001/29/EC, art.5/3a,d; Copyright Law of the RU: ГК РФ ст.1274/1.1-2,7

BLOG CONTENT

999–10 Kya

Comments

NEWS 2026

New publications of our resource in 2026 The initial phase of collecting data on LCF, accumulated prior to the 20th century, is largely complete. Next, we plan to analyze and synthesize thematic information, adding data from the 20th and 21st centuries. The work will focus primarily on: prevention, diagnosis, arthroscopy, plastic surgery, and endoprosthetics. January 14, 2026 2026 ArkhipovSV. THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI FOR ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS ( A Novel Technique for Proximal Fixation of Ligamentum Capitis Femoris Reconstruction ). January 05, 2026 2018YoussefAO The article describes a me thod for transposition of the proximal attachment of the LCF in congenital hip dislocation. 2007WengerD_OkaetR The authors demonstrated in the experiment that the strength of the LCF is sufficient to ensure early stability during hip joint reconstruction in children. January 04, 2026 2008 BacheCE _TorodeIP The article describes a method for transposition of the proximal att...

IMPROVING POSTOPERATIVE COMFORT...

Improving Postoperative Comfort and Increasing the Reliability of Hip Prostheses by Supplementing with Artificial Ligaments: Proof of Concept and Prototype Demonstration S.V. Arkhipov, Independent Researcher, Joensuu, Finland CONTENT [i] Abstract [ii] Introduction [iii] Materials and Methods [iv] Results and Discussion [v] Static Tests [vi] Dynamic Tests [vii] Prototype Fabrication and Testing [viii] Conclusion [ix] References [x] Application [i] Abstract The principle of operation of an experimental total hip endoprosthesis augmented with ligament analogs has been demonstrated in single-leg vertical stances and at the mid-stance phase of the single-support period of gait. The experiments were conducted on a specially designed mechatronic testing rig. The concept of the important role of the ligamentous apparatus is further illustrated by a set of demonstrative mechanical models. The...

1970MichaelsG_MatlesAL

Content [i] Annotation [ii] Original text [iii] References [iv] Source & links [v] Notes [vi] Authors & Affiliations [vii] Keywords [i] Annotation Abstract of the article: Michaels G, Matles AL. The role of the ligamentum teres in congenital dislocation of the hip (1970). The authors proposed an analogy for the role of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) as a “ball and chain control” and noted that it can spontaneously reduce congenital hip dislocation. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 1970MichaelsG_MatlesAL . [ii] Original text Quote p. 199 Many papers in the literature have implicated the ligamentum teres as a hindrance to the late open reduction of a congenitally dislocated hip. Occasionally the ligamentum teres has been reported to be absent. However, in most cases it is hypertrophied and elongated. Our present knowledge confirms the fact that congenital dislocation of t...

11th-15th Century

11th-15th Century Catalog of archived publications of the specified period 11th century 976-1115Theophilus Protospatharius The author writes about the normal anatomy of the LCF and its connective function. 1012-1024Avicenna The author writes about the localization and variant of the pathology LCF, leading to hip dislocation. 1039-1065Giorgi Mtatsmindeli The translator mentions the LCF damage, and notes its presence in animals. 12 th century 1120-1140Judah Halevi The author mentions LCF (גיד) of mammals. 1176-1178(a)Rambam The author mentions the pathology of LCF (גיד) in humans and points out the presence of this structure in animals. 1176-1178(b)Rambam The author writes about the localization of LCF (גיד) ) and distinguishes it from a tendon, blood vessel or nerve. 1185-1235David Kimchi The author writes about the localization, purpose, and injury of the LCF (גיד), and also talks abo...

Catalog. Classifications of LCF Pathology

The classifications are intended to systematize of ligamentum capitis femoris pathology and assist in the development of general approaches to its description, registration, analysis and treatment. Keywords ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, hip joint, histology, pathological anatomy, pathology, trauma INTRODUCTION In Russia, the initial attempts to classify pathology of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) were made by morphologists. The development of arthroscopic surgery has made it possible to identify various, previously undescribed types of LCF pathology, which prompted the development of various modern classifications based on intraoperative observations. Analysis of literature data and our own morphological observations allowed us to propose a General Classification of the Ligamentum Teres Pathology, which has the form of a collection of classifiers, as well as a Classification of Functions of the Ligamentum Teres. The ...

1834MitchellE_KnoxR

Description and drawings of the proximal attachment and blood supply of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) from book Mitchell E, Knox R. Engravings of the ligaments (1834 ). PLATE VI PLATE VI. … 49. The round ligament of the hip-joint, which arises from the sinus in the bottom of the acetabulum and descends into the head of the femur. 50. A portion of it which is thinner and membranous. 51. Portion of a ligament which arises from the outer surface of the ischiatic cavity and surrounds its neck as far as the notch of the acetabulum; there however it makes its way into the acetabulum, passing under the arch of the cotyloid ligament. 52. Branch of the obturator artery. 53. Two twigs which penetrate into the cotyloid cavity along with the ligament 51, to mingle with the round ligament. PLATE VII PLATE VII. Fig. 1. … 19, 19. Remarkable glands, which are concealed in the sinus of the acetabulum. 20. Origin of the exterior ligament which arises fr...

2008WengerDR_MiyanjiF

Article: Wenger DR et al. Ligamentum teres maintenance and transfer as a stabilizer in open reduction for pediatric hip dislocation: surgical technique and early clinical results (2008). The article describes a method of open reconstruction of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) for hip dysplasia. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 2008WengerDR_MiyanjiF . Ligamentum teres maintenance and transfer as a stabilizer in open reduction for pediatric hip dislocation: surgical technique and early clinical results Wenger DR, Mubarak SJ, Henderson PC, Miyanji F CONTENT [i] Abstract [ii] Introduction [iii] Materials and Methods [iv] Surgical technique & Results [v] Discussion & Conclusion [vi] References [vii] Application [i] Abstract Purpose The ligamentum teres has primarily been considered as an obstruction to reduction in children with developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH). In the ea...

1877bWelckerH

The author discusses differences in the relative strength and size of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in humans at different ages. The characteristics of LCF in seals and tapirs are described. For more information on LCF in these and other animals, see the author's article: Welcker H. Nachweiseines ligamentum interarticulare („teres“) humeri, sowie eines lig. teressessile femoris. Zeitschrift für Anatomie und Entwicklungsgeschichte ( 1877 ) . The text is prepared for machine translation using a service built into the blog from Google. In some cases, we have added links to quotations about LCF available on our resource, as well as to publications posted on the Internet. XVL. Zur Anatomie des ligamentum teres femoris. Nachtrag zu Abhandlung VII dieses Bandes. Von Hermann Welcker in Halle. I. Ligamentum teres sessile im Hüftgelenke des Seeliuiides. Als ein Thier, bei welchem das lig. teres „sehr seitlich" ein gepflanzt sein möchte, hatte ich auch ...

LCF in 2025 (June)

LCF in 2025 ( June ) (Quotes from articles and books published in June 2025 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris) Kuhns, B. D., Kahana-Rojkind, A. H., Quesada-Jimenez, R., McCarroll, T. R., Kingham, Y. E., Strok, M. J., ... & Domb, B. G. (2025). Evaluating a semiquantitative magnetic resonance imaging-based scoring system to predict hip preservation or arthroplasty in patients with an intact preoperative joint space. Journal of Hip Preservation Surgery , hnaf027. [i] academic.oup.com Iglesias, C. J. B., García, B. E. C., & Valarezo, J. P. P. (2025) CONTROLLED GANZ DISLOCATION. EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) - Peer Reviewed Journal. 11(5)1410-13. DOI: 10.36713/epra2013 [ii] researchgate.net Guimarães, J. B., Arruda, P. H., Cerezal, L., Ratti, M. A., Cruz, I. A., Morimoto, L. R., ... & Ormond Filho, A. G. (2025). Hip Microins...

1994(b)ArkhipovSV

Artificial hip joint (Искусственный тазобедренный сустав конструкции С.В. Архипова) Patent Application RU94040447A Inventor Сергей Васильевич Архипов Original Assignee Sergey Vasilyevich Arkhipov Application RU94040447/14A events 1994-11-04 Application filed by С.В. Архипов 1994-11-04 Priority to RU94040447/14A 1996-09-20 Publication of RU94040447A Claims 1. An artificial hip joint of the design of S .V. Arkhipov , comprising a body equipped with a self-cutting thread, and a spherical head, characterized in that the body has a spherical cavity in which the head is mounted so that a movable, one-piece connection is formed, in addition, the head is equipped with a sleeve with a longitudinal conical hole. 2. The artificial joint according to claim 1, characterized in that the body cavity has a shaped groove. 3. The artificial joint according to claims 1, 2, characterized in that the head mounted in the cavity has a longitudinal backlash. 4. An artificial joint a...

Search This Blog