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The Regourdou 1 Neandertal body size

Joseph Michael PLAVCAN, Valentine MEYER, Ashley S. HAMMOND, Christine COUTURE, Stéphane MADELAINE, Trenton W. HOLLIDAY, Bruno MAUREILLE, Carol V. WARD & Erik TRINKAUS

en Comptes Rendus Palevol 13 (8) - Pages 747-754

Published on 31 December 2014

In order to maximize sample sizes for the assessment of body size and proportions among Late Pleistocene humans, the femoral head diameter of the Regourdou 1 Neandertal was estimated from its ischial acetabular lunate surface, so as to provide a reliable measure for body mass assessment. This estimate was accomplished by fitting a sphere to the 3D surface of the acetabulum and then estimating femoral head diameter using a regression of acetabular sphere diameter to femoral head diameter based on associated recent human femora and ossa coxarum. The resultant mean and range of values for the Regourdou 1 femoral head dimension place it among the smaller of the European and southwest Asian Neandertals, although its humeral length is above average for that sample. Regourdou 1 therefore joins Kebara 2 in having moderately long arms for body core size, and it thereby emphasizes the variation in Neandertal body proportions.


Keywords:

Femur, Pelvis, Acetabulum, Body proportions, Europe, Late Pleistocene

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