Name:_________________________
Section:_______________________
ANT 3514 – Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Lab 6 – Modern Humans
Week of 6/19/06
The focus of this lab concerns late archaic Homo sapiens (including Neanderthals) and
anatomically modern humans.
STATION 1: Homo heidelbergensis and anatomically modern humans
Archaic forms of Homo sapiens, often referred to as Homo heidelbergensis, first appear
between 800,000-500,000 years ago. This covers a diverse group of skulls which have
features of both Homo erectus and modern humans. There is no clear dividing line
between late H. erectus and archaic H. sapiens, and many fossils between 500,000 and
200,000 years ago are difficult to classify as one or the other. However, it is clear that
modern humans are direct descendents of these individuals.
At this station you will find:
- Homo heidelbergensis (Steinheim)
- 2 early modern human crania: Zhoukoudian (Asia) and Cro-Magnon (Dordogne,
Europe)
(IN CLASS) Compare the following cranial features of these specimens:
H. heidelbergensis
Zhoukoudian
Cro-Magnon
Date Range
Forehead
(sloping vs. vertical)
Cranial Vault
(rounded vs. football)
Cranial breadth
(high vs. low)
Robusticity 1-3
(1=least, 3=most)
(IN CLASS) Using your answers in the table, are the observed differences more
supportive of the Multi-regional (Regional continuity) or Out of Africa model of human
evolution? Explain.
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STATION 2: Early Modern Homo sapiens and Modern Homo sapiens
At this station you will find:
- Skhul specimen (Israel; 115,000 years old)
- A Neanderthal cranium
- A modern human skull
(IN CLASS):
List 3 features of the Skhul specimen which confirm that this individual belongs to H.
sapiens.
1.
2.
3.
List 3 features of the Skhul specimen that might be viewed as more ancestral.
1.
2.
3.
STATION 3: Cranial Pathology
1. Matching:
1. Anecephaly
2. Syphilis
3. Cultural Modification
4. Scaphocephaly
5. Achondroplasia
6. Tuberculosis
7. Anemia
8. Microcephaly
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
2. Achondroplasia:
 Is achondroplasia a dysplasia affecting cartilage or the formation/resorption of
bone?

Achondroplasia is the most common form of what?

In Achondroplasia individuals what done is typically shortened more than any
other bone?
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3. Artificial Cultural Modification
 What process can alter the normal shape of a bone besides sudden trauma?

What is a pathological condition that can result in abnormal shape of bones?

What is commonly the reason for the cultural practice of cranial deformation?
4. Tuberculosis:
 Which of the three areas that TB can manifest on the skull is most common?

Is cranial involvement more common in children or adults with TB?

Do any of the lesions on the cast cross cranial suture lines?
5. Anemia:
 What is “an important basic distinction between the anemias”?

Name of the descriptive terms used for this definition:

What are the orbital lesions associated with anemia called?
6. Syphilis:
 Define “acquired” syphilis:

Define “congenital” syphilis:

During which stage of syphilis do bone lesions appear?

Are the cast specimen shown in class undergoing sclerotic healing?

What is the bacterium that causes syphilis?
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7. For these questions, the possible answers are anecephaly, scaphocephaly, and
microcephaly.
 Which of these conditions is caused by premature closure of the sagittal suture?

Which is the most frequent fatal malformation of the skull?

Which has a definition which literally means “small head”?
STATION 4: Post-cranial Pathology
1. Matching:
1. Sternal foramen
2. Lumbar osteoarthritis
3. Periostitis
4. Pseudoarthrosis
5. Sacralized Lumbar
6. Arthritis
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
2. Arthritis:
 What joint is usually the earliest to suffer from arthritis and is the one most
often involved?

Define “eburnation”:
3. Sternal Foramen
 A sternal foramen is typically located in what part of the sternum?

Members of which sex are more likely to have a sternal foramen?

What is a sternal foramen commonly confused with?
4. Periostitis:
 What two pathological conditions give rise to primary periostitis?

What are two possible reasons why periostitis commonly manifests of bones
that are near the skin surface (e.g., the tibia and the skull)?

Name two differences between periostitis and osteomyelitis.
4
5. Lumbar osteoarthritis
 Is this condition typically degenerative (age-related) or traumatic?

When during life does the process of osteoarthritic lipping begin?

Is the presence of vertebral osteoarthritic lipping typically used in stature, sex,
age, or ancestry estimation?
6. Pseudoarthrosis:
 What is the typical cause of pseudoarthroses?

How does a pseudoarthrosis differ from a nearthrosis?
7. Sacralized Lumbar:
 What is the technical term for this condition?
STATION 5: Fracture caused by a Gunshot Wound
1. Are these femora human or nonhuman? If nonhuman, what type of animal do you
think they belong to?
2. What type of fracture was this?
3. Did this individual receive medical treatment?
STATION 6: Amputation
1. What bone are these?
2. Which of these specimens have undergone amputation?
3. Which of these specimens appears to have undergone healing before death?
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STATION 7: Sex
A. What is the sex of this skull? Refer to the diagram shown here, list and describe
two traits that help you determine this.
B. What is the sex of this os coxa? List and describe two traits that help you
determine this.
Congratulations!!! You’ve completed the last lab of the semester!
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