The parietal bone of indonesian homo erectus

A comparative study of Indonesian parietal bones from Sangiran, Sambungmachan 1 and Ngandong has been undertaken. This study comprises a morphological and metrical analysis of the individual parietal bones, followed by consideration of the biparietal vault. The results are compared with other hominids from earlier and later periods. These hominids were found in China (Sinanthropus II, III, X, XI and XII), in Africa (ER 3733, OH 9, Ternifine, Broken Hill and Saldanha) and in Europe (Arago XLVII, Petralona, Swanscombe, Steinheim, Le Lazaret, La Chaise (Abri Suard) and Cova Negra). These European Middle Pleistocene hominids are attributed toHomo erectus by various authors (Lumley 1973;Hemmer 1972;Spitery 1982;Lumley andFournier 1982) and to an early Neanderthal group, pre-Neanderthal orHomo sapiens sensu lato (Neanderthals+modern humans) by others (Stringer 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984,Wolpoff 1980,Holloway 1982). The discussion about the classification of those hominids is not closed, but it is not the subject of this paper and not our intention to solve it here. So we have chosen to call this fossil material ‘Anteneandertals’ (Lumley 1973). It appears that some morphological metrical features allow us to separate the Sangiran and Ngandong samples. Sambungmachan 1, whose chronological age is not well established, appears to be closer to Ngandong men.