3B Scientific Anthropological Skull Model - Cro-Magnon - Manual (Page 3)

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Crô-Magnon
• Homo sapiens sapiens
• Neopalaeolithic Recent Man
The model was developed from a cast of the replica from the collection of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe
University of Frankfurt am Main, Institute of Anthropology and Human Genetics for Biologists.
The skull of the so called „Old Man of Crô-Magnon“ was discovered as early as 1868 in a cave in the Vézère
valley in southern France. Accurate dating poses problems but the skull is assumed to be between 20,000
and 30,000 years old.
The relatively long skull has a steep forehead, but no continuous ridge above the eyes. The root of the nose
is deeply indented and the eye sockets are broad and low. Notable are the wide zygomatic arches and the
wide lower jaw, which has a prominent chin.
Cranial capacity of the glacial recent man of the neopalaeolithic age is between 1,465 and 1,700 cm 3 (with
an average of 1,530 cm 3 ), which compares well with modern man, and even slightly exceeds it.
The cranial structure of neopagaeolithic man closely resembles that of modern man. At the rear of the pari-
etal bone, and in the upper part of the back of the head, the skull is not as distinctly curved as in modern
man, and the front section of the base of the skull is not as close to a horizontal position.
The facial bones project only slightly, while in modern man they have moved completely under the cra-
nium. Hence, the face is not in front of but under the forehead. On average the skull of Crô-Magnon man
is longer than that of modern man as the curving simultaneously resulted in a shortening of the skull and
therefore caused a slower development of the length/width index, a process which even today does not yet
appear to be completed. Examinations of skulls from the last millenium point to a change in the shape of
the skull, namely a “rounding off“ effect (brachy-cephalism see Grimm 1964). However, attention must be
drawn to the fact that the skull index is unstable under environmental influences, a feature which is also
considered characteristic of the high plasticity of the human figure.
The considerable width of the facial bones is notable, with somewhat stronger dentition development.
A further reduction of the masticating apparatus can be clearly observed during the last 30,000 years.
Primarily the lower jaw is involved in the process, showing now a more prominent chin and a narrower,
more slender structure. The slendering process also continues in the case of these skull bones whereby
nutrition and the preparation of food play an important role.
Generally, the cranial bones of recent man of the neopalaeolithic period are characterized by greater thick-
ness.
Phylogenetically speaking Crô-Magnon can be classified as a direct ancestor of modern man, as all the
major characteristics correspond to those of modern man.
The book by Henke and Rothe (1994) contains numerous pictures regarding the comparison of skulls of
Neanderthal Man and Neo-Palaeolithic Recent Man.
Author: Dr. sc. Arthur Windelband, Humboldt University of Berlin
Revised in 2004 by Mr. Stefan Flohr, member of staff at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt
am Main
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