Dental Remains from the Middle Paleolithic Layers of Altai Cave Sites

Dental Remains from the Middle Paleolithic Layers of Altai Cave Sites

A.P. Buzhilova.

Two Middle Paleolithic cave sites in the Altai – Okladnikov and Chagyrskaya – have yielded dental remains (mostly isolated teeth) of individuals of various ages. A newly discovered mandibular fragment with teeth from Chagyrskaya Cave reveals a Neanderthal trait combination: anterior fossa and epicristid (midtrigonid crest) on molars, metaconid and crest on premolars. The totality of dental traits support the conclusion previously drawn on the basis of postcranial characters: Altai Neanderthals appear to be intermediate between other Eurasian Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans.

Keywords: Human evolution, Neanderthals, Mousterians, Gorny Altai, dental traits.