Morphological description and morphometric analyses of the Upper Palaeolithic human remains from Dzudzuana and Satsurblia caves, western Georgia

Abstract

Morphological description and morphometric analyses of the Upper Palaeolithic human remains from Dzudzuana and Satsurblia caves, western Georgia, J. Hum. Evol. 113, 83-90 (2017).

Tooth crown tissue proportions and enamel thickness in Early Pleistocene Homo antecessor molars (Atapuerca, Spain)

“…Dental studies of the outer and inner structures identified a derived pattern characteristic of the European Neanderthal lineage [ 8 , 10 , 13 – 26 , 48 , 50 , 51 , 68 , 69 ]. Even if enamel thickness is no longer regarded as a useful trait to assess phylogenetic relationships in the genus Homo or at least at a large scale [ 10 ], the possible existence of local chronogeographic trends still needs to be assessed.…”

“…Tooth crown tissue proportions and enamel thickness distribution are considered reliable characters for inferring taxonomic identity, phylogenetic relationships, dietary and behavioural adaptations in fossil and extant hominids [ 1 – 16 ]. Advances in virtual paleoanthropology evinced the existence of a temporal trend in the internal tooth structural organization within the European Neanderthal lineage [ 3 , 8 , 10 , 13 , 14 , 17 – 26 ]. In particular, the relative thin enamel condition documented in Neanderthals is likely linked to odontogenetic mechanisms, such as a faster developmental trajectory and a more complex topography and larger surface of the EDJ [ 8 , 25 , 27 , 28 ].…”

Exploring late Paleolithic and Mesolithic diet in the Eastern Alpine region of Italy through multiple proxies

“…Reconstructing prehistoric human diet has always been a key goal of the research into past human behavior. Different proxies and methods have been integrated to obtain a comprehensive overview of prehistoric human dietary strategies and for understanding cultural responses to climate and environmental constraints: isotopic analysis (e.g., Drucker & Bocherens, 2004; Lugli et al, 2019, Wißing et al, 2019); lithic and osseous technology (e.g., Arrighi et al, 2019; Caricola et al, 2018; Collina et al, 2020; Marciani et al, 2019; Semenov, 1964; Stout, 2011); faunal remains (i.e., quantification of faunal remains and analysis of bone surface modifications; Gaudzinski‐Windheuser & Kindler, 2012); and dental remains (i.e., formal assessment of paramasticatory and masticatory activities; Arnaud et al, 2016; Been et al, 2017; Fiorenza et al, 2015; Fiorenza, Benazzi, & Kullmer, 2011; Margherita et al, 2016; Margherita et al, 2017; Oxilia et al, 2015; Oxilia et al, 2017; Riga et al, 2018). In particular, dental wear, dental pathologies and, when preserved, prehistoric dental calculus have shown to be pivotal in obtaining data on diet, cultural habits, and health status (Cristiani et al, 2018; El Zaatari & Hublin, 2014; Fiorenza, 2015; Fiorenza, Benazzi, Oxilia, & Kullmer, 2018; Fiorenza & Kullmer, 2013, 2015; Grippo, Simring, & Schreiner, 2004; Henry, Hudson, & Piperno, 2009; Lussi, 2006; Metcalf, Ursell, & Knight, 2014; Molnar & Molnar, 1990; Oxilia et al, 2018; Radini, Buckley, Nikita, Copeland, & Hardy, 2017; Sameera, Singh, & Nitya, 2017; Sorrentino et al, 2018; Warinner et al, 2014; Weyrich et al, 2017).…”

“…Gaudzinski-Windheuser & Kindler, 2012); and dental remains (i.e., formal assessment of paramasticatory and masticatory activities; Arnaud et al, 2016;Been et al, 2017;Fiorenza et al, 2015;Fiorenza, Benazzi, & Kullmer, 2011;Margherita et al, 2016;Margherita et al, 2017;Oxilia et al, 2015;Oxilia et al, 2017;Riga et al, 2018). In particular, dental wear, dental pathologies and, when preserved, prehistoric dental calculus have shown to be pivotal in obtaining data on diet, cultural habits, and health status (Cristiani et al, 2018;El Zaatari & Hublin, 2014;Fiorenza, 2015;Fiorenza, Benazzi, Oxilia, & Kullmer, 2018;Fiorenza & Kullmer, 2013Grippo, Simring, & Schreiner, 2004;Henry, Hudson, & Piperno, 2009;Lussi, 2006;Metcalf, Ursell, & Knight, 2014;Molnar & Molnar, 1990;Oxilia et al, 2018;Radini, Buckley, Nikita, Copeland, & Hardy, 2017;Sameera, Singh, & Nitya, 2017;Sorrentino et al, 2018;Warinner et al, 2014;Weyrich et al, 2017).…”

Archaeological materials from caves in the south Caucasus recovered by Stefan Krukowski during his stay in Georgia 1916–1918

“…From the overview presented above it emerges that if a certain cave had been inhabited during the Palaeolithic, we can count on a (stratigraphic, if preserved) sequence of the late Middle (Mousterian) and Upper (Early and/or Late Gravettian) Palaeolithic stone and bone material (Kozłowski 1970(Kozłowski , 1972(Kozłowski , 1998Tushabramishvili et al 2002;Meshveliani et al 2004;Bar Yosef et al 2006, Pinhasi R. et al 2011. Such a situation, sometimes also including Early Upper Palaeolithic (Aurignacian) layers, is known from many other archaeologically excavated Caucasian caves and rock shelters, like Ortvale Klde (Tushabramishvili et al 1999(Tushabramishvili et al , 2002Adler et al 2008), Bondi Cave (Tushabramishvili et al 2012;Pleurdeau et al 2016), Dzudzuana Cave ( Bar-Yosef et al 2011;Margherita et al 2017), Satsurblia Cave (Pinhasi et al 2014), Gvarjilas Klde Cave (Krukowski 1916;Kozłowski 1972), etc. The latest phases of the Upper Palaeolithic are represented in Deviss Khverli (Nioradze, Otte 2000).…”