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Cited by 155Pleistocene-Era Hominins and ArchaeologyForensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology StudiesForensic and Genetic Research

Late Pleistocene Human Skull from Hofmeyr, South Africa, and Modern Human Origins

Grine, F. E., Bailey, R. M., Harvati, K., Nathan, R. P., Morris, A. G., Henderson, G. M., Ribot, I., Pike, A. W. G.·2007·Science
DOI 10.1126/science.1136294
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Abstract

The lack of Late Pleistocene human fossils from sub-Saharan Africa has limited paleontological testing of competing models of recent human evolution. We have dated a skull from Hofmeyr, South Africa, to 36.2 ± 3.3 thousand years ago through a combination of optically stimulated luminescence and uranium-series dating methods. The skull is morphologically modern overall but displays some archaic features. Its strongest morphometric affinities are with Upper Paleolithic (UP) Eurasians rather than recent, geographically proximate people. The Hofmeyr cranium is consistent with the hypothesis that UP Eurasians descended from a population that emigrated from sub-Saharan Africa in the Late Pleistocene.

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Crossref · 10.1126/science.1136294

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  • Fossil fauna, including extinct forms, have been found 4-6 km south-east of Canteen Kopje on the river bank at Pniel 6 and Powers site, where they are associated with Acheulean and Fauresmith artefacts.

    “Fossil fauna, including extinct forms, have been found some 4 km -6 km to the south-east of CK on the river bank, for example at Pniel 6 and Powers site, where they are associated with Acheulean and Fauresmith artefacts.14,16,53,59”

    From Canteen Kopje: A new look at an old skull (2012) · cites this paper as [14]

  • Mr Eddie Fortune's recollection places the find spot of the CK skull downslope from the declared Provincial Heritage site zone, possibly in a unit of the Younger Vaal Gravels closer to the river and chronologically more recent than the deposits within the declared heritage zone.

    “This recollection would place the find spot of the CK skull downslope from the declared Provincial Heritage site zone of Canteen Kopje (Figure 2), possibly in a unit of the Younger Vaal Gravels closer to the river and chronologically more recent than the deposits within the declared heritage zone (Figure 3).”

    From Canteen Kopje: A new look at an old skull (2012) · cites this paper as [14]

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Authors
Grine, F. E., Bailey, R. M., Harvati, K., Nathan, R. P., Morris, A. G., Henderson, G. M., Ribot, I., & Pike, A. W. G.
Affiliations
University of Cape Town (ZA)
Corresponding author
Grine, F. E.
ORCID
Venue
Science
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Published
2007-01-12
Volume
315
Issue
5809
Pages
226-229
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
DOI
10.1126/science.1136294
OpenAlex
W2025746850
Cited by
155
References
25
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 11
FWCI
54.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
  • ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Forensic and Genetic Research
Keywords
modern human origins, cranial morphometrics, optically stimulated luminescence dating, uranium-series dating
MeSH terms
Asia, Emigration and Immigration, Europe, Fossils, Humans, Mandible, Maxilla, Molar, Paleodontology, Skull, South Africa, Time, Africa South of the Sahara

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