Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger i fotodokumentacija ljudskih fosilnih ostataka

U svojim istraživanjima nalazišta i fosilnih ostataka krapinskog pračovjeka Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger bio je izuzetno inovativan. U svojim iskopavanjima nalazišta prema razaznatoj stratigrafiji diluvija, kao i u analizi paleontološkoga i arheološkog sadržaja lokaliteta, koristio se brojnim, u to vrijeme novim tehnologijama iščitavanja i dokumentiranja života u prošlosti. Jedna od procedura koju je, i to među prvima na svojem području istraživanja, prakticirao bila je korištenje visokokvalitetnih fotografija pri prvoj analizi ostataka krapinskih neandertalaca i njihovo objavljivanje u europskim znanstvenim časopisima. Dotad uobičajeni crteži paleontoloških nalaza često su isticali morfološke detalje koje su istraživači smatrali posebice važnima za taksonomsko određivanje nalaza, zbog čega je takvo dokumentiranje nužno davalo subjektivan prikaz paleontološke građe

Functional implications of the differences in the inner structural organization between the Neanderthal and the modern human patella

The Neanderthal patellar morphology differs from that of recent humans by being anteroposteriorly thicker and by showing more symmetric articular facets and higher angles. However, it is still unclear to what extent these differences affect knee kinesiology. By using micro-focus X-ray tomography, we qualitatively and quantitatively characterized the inner conformation of six adult Neanderthal patellae from the OIS 5e site of Krapina, Croatia, and compared their pattern to the configuration di..

REVIEW OF THE NEW PERMANENT DISPLAY OF THE ANTHROPOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN VIENNA

Prirodoslovni muzej u Beču (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien), jedan od najpoznatijih prirodoslovnih muzeja u svijetu, otvorio je krajem siječnja 2013. godine novi antropološki stalni postav, naslovljen Hominidenevolution, koji u žarište stavlja evoluciju čovjeka kao uvijek intrigantnu temu.In early 2013, the Natural History Museum in Vienna opened its new permanent display for the anthropology department. The new permanent display, which is open to the public after 16 years, and called Hominidevolution, focuses on the evolution of human beings, a theme that is always intriguing. The concept was devised by Dr Maria Teschler-Nicola, director of the anthropology department. She brought together many consultants and assistants to produce the setup and has successfully presented, explained and made familiar to museum visitors this complex theme

Surface analysis of an eagle talon from Krapina

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.The Krapina white-tailed eagle talons represent a kind of jewelry worn by Krapina Neandertals some 130,000 years ago. New inspection of one Krapina talon (386.1) revealed a fiber, sealed by a thin silicate coating, adhering to the surface within a wide cut mark, as well as concentrated traces of occasional spots of red and yellow pigment and some black stains. We analyzed the fiber and small portions of pigmented areas by non-invasive, infrared synchrotron beam. Different areas were targeted, revealing the protein nature of the fiber, identified as of animal origin. Targeted areas revealed intra- and inter-strand aggregation indicating the fiber to be collagen losing its original triple α-helix conformation, further confirming the diagenetic decay of the original collagen structure and the antiquity of the fiber. It is possible that the fiber is a remnant of the leather or sinew string binding the talons together. Spectroscopic analysis of the pigments in two isolated areas confirmed two types of ochre and that the dark spots are charcoal remnants. Applying novel non-invasive technologies provides new possibilities to further test the hypothesis of using prehistoric objects for symbolic purposes

The Neandertal (Krapina and Regourdou 1), fossil modern human (Chancelade 1) and extant human patella: an insight from inside

Evolutionary endostructural patterns of the cortical and cancellous tissues of the postcranial skeleton are commonly investigated for inferring functional behaviours in extinct hominin taxa and past human populations. Information on the endostructural arrangement of the patellar bone has the potential of revealing individual- and/or taxon-specific aspects of the knee biomechanics. However, evidence on its inner conformation extracted from human fossil specimens is nearly non-existent. The present pilot study aims at characterising the endostructural pattern of two Neandertal (from Krapina, Croatia, and Regourdou, France) and one anatomically modern fossil human (from Chancelade, France) adult patellae and to compare their signal with the recent human condition. In the context of the gracilisation trend of the human skeleton occurred from the late Pleistocene, we expect (i) the two Neandertal patellae showing a higher amount of cortical bone compared to the fossil modern and the recent human conditions, (ii) the fossil modern patella showing a higher amount of cortical bone compared to the comparative sample, (iii) the cancellous network being relatively homogeneous between the two Neandertal individuals but distinguishable from that of the fossil modern human representative and of the comparative sample, and that (iv) the structural organisation revealed by the fossil modern patella is distinguishable from the recent human condition. For assessing the endostructural organisation of the selected patellae, we used non-invasive techniques of high resolution virtual imaging. The results do not support the first hypothesis, as marked differences have been found between the two Neandertal specimens. The second hypothesis is supported for the anterior surface, but not for the posterior surface. The third hypothesis is supported for the superior and the lateral regions of the patellar bone but for the inferior and medial portions. Finally, the fourth hypothesis is supported, but the cancellous organisation of the two Neandertal representatives is closer to the extant human pattern than to the Magdalenian specimen. Despite the generalised lack of comparable information from the human fossil record, we consider the present results of potential interest for future research of paleobiomechanical, paleobiological, and perhaps taxonomic interest, on the evolutionary structure of the human knee joint.Les patrons d’évolution de l’endostructure des tissus cortical et trabéculaire du squelette postcrânien sont communément analysés pour reconstruire les activités fonctionnelles des homininés fossiles et des populations humaines anciennes. Les informations sur l’arrangement endostructural de la patella ont le potentiel de déceler des aspects de la biomécanique du genou spécifiques à l’individu ou caractéristiques d’une espèce. Cependant, les témoins de la conformation interne extraits de spécimens humains fossiles sont quasi-inexistants. Cette étude pilote a pour objectif de caractériser le patron de l’endostructure de deux patellae néandertaliennes (de Krapina, Croatie, et Regourdou, France) et d’une patella d’un humain moderne fossile (Chancelade, France) et de le comparer à la condition humaine récente. Dans le contexte d’un processus de gracilisation du squelette humain de la fin du Pléistocène, nous formulons les hypothèses suivantes: (i) les deux patellae néandertaliennes présentent un cortex plus épais par rapport aux conditions moderne fossile et récente, (ii) la patella moderne fossile présente un cortex plus épais que mesuré dans l’échantillon comparatif, (iii) le réseau trabéculaire est relativement homogène entre les Néandertaliens mais distinct de celui du fossile moderne et de l’échantillon comparatif et (iv) l‘organisation structurale de la patella moderne fossile est distincte de la condition humaine récente. Pour analyser l’endostructure des patellae sélectionnées nous avons utilisé des techniques non-invasives d’imagerie virtuelle à haute résolution. Les résultats ne soutiennent pas la première hypothèse car des différences importantes ont été montrées entre les deux spécimens néandertaliens. La seconde hypothèse est vérifiée pour la surface antérieure mais pas pour celle postérieure. La troisième hypothèse est vérifiée pour les régions supérieure et latérale de la patella mais pas pour celles inférieure et médiale. Finalement, la quatrième hypothèse est vérifiée mais l’organisation trabéculaire des deux Néandertaliens est plus proche de la condition humaine récente que celle du spécimen magdalénien. Malgré le manque généralisé d’informations comparatives issues du registre humain fossile, nous estimons que les résultats de cette étude pilote ont un intérêt potentiel pour des recherches futures d’intérêt paléobiomécanique, paléobiologique et, peut-être, taxinomique sur l’évolution de la structure de l’articulation du genou humain

Prehistoric dentistry? P4 rotation, partial M3 impaction, toothpick grooves and other signs of manipulation in Krapina Dental Person 20.

Aims: We describe four associated mandibular teeth, left P4 – M3, which show a number of features consistent with a diagnosis that toothpick grooves and other dental manipulations were associated with treating multiple eruption abnormalities. Materials and Methods: The four isolated teeth making up Krapina Dental Person (KDP) 20 were analyzed by eye and with a light microscope to document occlusal wear, toothpick groove formation, ante mortem enamel, dentin scratches and lingual fractures. Results: Definitive, stage 4 toothpick grooves (1) occur on all four teeth, but are especially marked on both mesial and distal faces of the left P4 (tooth #32) and the mesial face of the left M1 (tooth #82). Less distinct interproximal grooves, defined as stage 2 striations, appear on the distal face of left M1, distal lingual edge of M2 (tooth #3) and the mesial face of M3 (tooth #8). The left P4 also shows signs of dental probing on the mesial buccal cusp and all four teeth have fractures on their lingual margins. These features are associated with malpositioned left P4 and a left M3 with lingual rotation and a crown that is partially impacted. The M3’s buccal face occupies an occlusal position and shows considerable wear, indicating it was in approximation with the upper dentition. Conclusion: The anomalous dental eruption features of the P4 and M3 are associated with several kinds of dental manipulations, which seem to have been palliative measures to “treat” the dental problems. We consider this a kind of “prehistoric dentistry.

Growth of Neanderthal infants from Krapina (120-130 ka), Croatia

Modern humans have a slow and extended period of childhood growth but to what extent this ontogenetic pathway was present in Neanderthals is debated. Dental development, linked to the duration of somatic growth across modern primates, is the main source for information about growth and development in a variety of fossil primates, including humans. Studies of Neanderthal permanent teeth report a pace of development either similar to recent humans or relatively accelerated. Neanderthal milk teeth, which form and emerge before permanent teeth, provide an opportunity to determine which pattern was present at birth. Here we present a comparative study of the prenatal and early postnatal growth of five milk teeth from three Neanderthals (120,000-130,000 years ago) using virtual histology. Results reveal regions of their milk teeth formed quickly before birth, and over a relatively short period of time after birth. Tooth emergence commenced towards the earliest end of the eruption schedules displayed by extant human children. Advanced dental development is consistent with expectations for Neanderthal infant feeding

The Neanderthal patellae from Krapina (Croatia): A comparative investigation of their endostructural conformation and distinctive features compared to the extant human condition.

The Neanderthal patella differs from that of extant humans by being thicker anteroposteriorly and by having more symmetric medial and lateral articular facets. However, it is still unclear to what extent these differences affect knee kinesiology. We aim at assessing the endostructural conformation of Neanderthal patellae to reveal functionally related mechanical information comparatively to the extant human condition. In principle, we expect that the Neanderthal patella (i) shows a higher amount of cortical bone and (ii) a trabecular network organization distinct from the extant human condition. By using micro-focus X-ray tomography, we characterized the endostructure of six adult patellae from the OIS 5e Neanderthal site of Krapina, Croatia, the largest assemblage of human fossil patellae assessed so far, and compared their pattern to the configuration displayed by a sample of 22 recent humans. The first expectation is rejected, indicating that the patellar bone might have not followed the trend of generalized gracilization of the human postcranial skeleton occurred through the Upper Pleistocene. The second prediction is at least partially supported. In Krapina the trabecular network differs from the comparative sample by showing a higher medial density and by lacking a proximal reinforcement. Such conformation indicates similar load patterns exerted in Neanderthals and extant humans by the vastus lateralis, but not by the vastus medialis, with implications on the mediolateral stabilization of the knee joint. However, the patterns of structural variation of the patellar network remain to be assessed in other Neanderthal samples. [Abstract copyright: © 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Biological Anthropology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.