A reconsideration of the Archi 1 Neandertal mandible

A reassessment of the early last glacial immature Neandertal mandibular corpus from Archi indicates a series of features in which it closely resembles other pre-adolescent Neandertal mandibles and contrasts with those of similarly aged recent humans. These are in the context of a re-aging of the specimen to ca. 3 years on the basis of deciduous dental eruption and attrition and permanent dental calcification. The Archi 1 mandible resembles other immature Neandertals in having a “retreating” symphyseal profile in the context of moderate development of mental trigone features. It is relatively robust in the development of lateral and basilar corpus features and some increased symphyseal and lateral corpus thickness. And it exhibits, along with other Middle Paleolithic immature mandibles, anteriorly wide dental arcades, probably due to large developing anterior permanent tooth crowns.