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Homo heidelbergensis

 

HOMO HEIDELBERGENSIS

Anthropologists associate the fossil skeletons of Homo heidelbergensis from Africa and Eurasia with the period 670-150 Kya (2018RoksandicM_LindalJ). Typical Heidelberg people appeared 609±40 Kya, and the latest lived 200-170 Kya (1999RubiniM_MallegniF; 2001MichelV_BoschianG; 2010WagnerGA_RightmireGP). Some researchers believe that Homo heidelbergensis is the predecessor of Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens (2005KleinR).

Homo heidelbergensis. The author of the appearance reconstruction is paleoartist John Gurche; Photo by Tim Evanson from donsmaps.com (license CC BY-SA 2.0, no changes).
Homo heidelbergensis.

At the Middle Pleistocene site of Sima de los Huesos in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Spain), well-preserved fragments of the pelvis of Homo heidelbergensis were discovered. The fossilized pelvis is described as robust, very wide, with a long superior pubic ramus and a pronounced iliac protuberance (1999ArsuagaJL_CarbonellE). The age of the remains from this site is estimated at between 200,000 and 600,000 years (1997BischoffJL_BullenT; 2003BischoffJL_DeCastroJB).

The pelvis belonged to a man who died at the age of over 45. A detailed study of the pelvic fragments and its reconstruction were carried out. (2010BonmatíA_CarbonellE). In the appendix to the article, the authors provide a number of illustrations showing parts of the right and left acetabular fossa (Fig. S2, S9). The researchers drew attention to the significant depth of the acetabular fossa and the presence of osteophytes along the edges of the lunate surface (Supporting information, Fig. S2).

Part of the posterior section of the left acetabulum of an adult male Homo heidelbergensis, arrows indicate the acetabular fossa (top) and osteophytes of the lunate surface (bottom), on the lower right is the area of the acetabular notch; a fragment of the illustration from 2010BonmatíA_CarbonellE: Appendix, Fig. S2 (open access article).


In the photograph, we can see part of the acetabular fossa, as well as the lower section of the acetabular notch. The acetabular fossa is the area where the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) moves during articulations. Its proximal attachment occurs in the acetabular notch.

In Homo heidelbergensis, the femurs have relatively longer and, on average, moderately flattened necks in the anteroposterior direction, an expanded diaphysis in the subtrochanteric region, a relatively small neck-shaft angle (111.5-121.7º), large gluteal crests, well-developed hypotrochanteric fossae and a proximal lateral crest (2015ArsuagaJL_CarbonellE). Several well-preserved femurs of Homo heidelbergensis have been found at the Sima de los Huesos site (2024CarreteroJM_ArsuagaJL). The fossa of the femoral head was identified in photographs of the femurs of the following specimens: F-X, F-XII, and F-XIII.

Proximal section of the right femur of Homo heidelbergensis in posterior and medial views (adult female F-XIII); fragment of the illustration from 2024CarreteroJM_ArsuagaJL:Fig. 4 (open access article).

Thus, Homo heidelbergensis has reliable signs of LCF. They are present both in the pelvic region and on the femoral side. At the same time, the detection of osteophytes in the acetabulum is a manifestation of osteoarthrosis, which is closely associated with LCF pathology. We do not exclude that dystrophic damage to the hip joint was observed in the Homo heidelbergensis population. Coxarthrosis was apparently associated with significant physical activity, as well as LCF damages during movement over rough terrain and hunting.

References

Roksandic M, Radović P, Lindal J. Revising the hypodigm of Homo heidelbergensis: A view from the Eastern Mediterranean. Quaternary International. 2018;466A:66-81. [researchgate.net]

Wagner GA, Krbetschek M, Degering D, Bahain JJ, Shao Q, Falguères C, ... Rightmire GP. Radiometric dating of the type-site for Homo heidelbergensis at Mauer, Germany. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2010;107(46)19726-30. [pnas.org]

Michel V, Yokoyama Y, Boschian G. Preliminary U-series results and dating of faunal remains from Castel di Guido, Italy. In: Proceedings of the 1st International Congress, the World of Elephants, Roma. CNR-Roma, 2001:548-51. [academia.edu]

Rubini M, Bonafede E, Mogliazza S, Mallegni F. New considerations on Ponte Mammolo fossil femur (middle Pleistocene, rome, Italy). Arch. l’Antropologia al Etnologia. 1999;129:145-61. [researchgate.net]

Klein R. Hominin dispersals in the Old World. In: Scarre C (Ed). The Human Past: World Prehistory & the Development of Human Societies. Thames & Hudson, 2005:84-123. [researchgate.net]

Arsuaga JL, Lorenzo C, Carretero JM, Gracia A, Martínez I, García N, ... Carbonell E. A complete human pelvis from the Middle Pleistocene of Spain. Nature. 1999;399(6733)255-8. [nature.com]

Bischoff JL, Fitzpatrick JA, León L, Arsuaga JL, Falgueres C, Bahain JJ, Bullen T. Geology and preliminary dating of the hominid-bearing sedimentary fill of the Sima de los Huesos Chamber, Cueva Mayor of the Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain. Journal of Human Evolution. 1997;33(2-3)129-54. [sciencedirect.com]

Bischoff JL, Shamp DD, Aramburu A, Arsuaga JL, Carbonell E, De Castro JB. The Sima de los Huesos hominids date to beyond U/Th equilibrium (> 350 kyr) and perhaps to 400–500 kyr: new radiometric dates. Journal of Archaeological Science. 2003;30(3)275-80. [academia.edu]

Bonmatí A, Gómez-Olivencia A, Arsuaga JL, Carretero JM, Gracia A, Martínez I, ... Carbonell E.). Middle Pleistocene lower back and pelvis from an aged human individual from the Sima de los Huesos site, Spain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2010;107(43)18386-91. [pnas.org]; Supporting Information [pnas.org]

Arsuaga JL, Carretero JM, Lorenzo C, Gómez-Olivencia A, Pablos A, Rodríguez L, ... Carbonell E. Postcranial morphology of the middle Pleistocene humans from Sima de los Huesos, Spain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2015:112(37)11524-9. [pnas.org]

Carretero JM, Rodríguez L, García‐González R, Arsuaga JL. Main morphological characteristics and sexual dimorphism of hominin adult femora from the Sima de los Huesos Middle Pleistocene site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain). The Anatomical Record. 2024;307(7)2575-605. [researchgate.net]


Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, doctrine, homo heidelbergensis


                                                                     

The original text in Russian is available at the link: Homo heidelbergensis

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

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