close
Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Apr;186(4):e70051.
doi: 10.1002/ajpa.70051.

Understanding the Origin of Superficial Bone Changes in Qafzeh 9 Skull (Middle Paleolithic, Southwestern Asia): Contribution of Three-Dimensional Imaging

Dany Coutinho-Nogueira  1 , Hélène Coqueugniot  2 , Anne-Marie Tillier  3
Affiliations

Understanding the Origin of Superficial Bone Changes in Qafzeh 9 Skull (Middle Paleolithic, Southwestern Asia): Contribution of Three-Dimensional Imaging

Dany Coutinho-Nogueira et al. Am J Biol Anthropol. 2025 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: Deciphering the origins of bone alterations is crucial in paleoanthropology for understanding biological variation and distinguishing between taphonomy, normal anatomy, growth-related changes, and pathological conditions.

Materials and methods: Qafzeh 9, an early anatomically modern human from Lower Galilee, exhibits three alterations on its frontal bone: a circular lacuna, two parallel grooves, and a flattening near the superior temporal line. Micro-CT images and 3D reconstructions complement macroscopic observations to determine the etiologies of these features.

Results: Our analysis reveals that one of them, the flattening near the superior temporal line, is associated with changes in the diploë.

Discussion: Data from four recent modern human samples show that this feature is present in all non-adult individuals and suggests that the flattening and thinning of the diploë may be related to growth patterns and dental changes. Our results bring new insights for the development of methodologies for age estimation based on frontal bone. This study also enhances our understanding of intra-site variability at Qafzeh and provides a better understanding of the biological diversity and growth patterns among early anatomically modern humans.

Keywords: anatomical variant; early anatomically modern humans; frontal bone; ontogeny; taphonomy.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Bar‐Yosef, D. E., B. Vandermeersch, and O. Bar‐Yosef. 2009. “Shells and Ochre in Middle Paleolithic Qafzeh Cave, Israel: Indications for Modern Behavior.” Journal of Human Evolution 56, no. 3: 307–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.10.005.
    1. Copes, L. E. 2012. “Comparative and Experimental Investigations of Cranial Robusticity in Mid‐Pleistocene Hominins. Ph.D. Dissertation, Anthropology, Arizona State University.”
    1. Coqueugniot, H., and O. Dutour. 2023. “Apport de l'imagerie tridimensionnelle à l'étude des maladies des populations du passé.” In Les sciences archéologiques à l'ère du virtuel, edited by H. Coqueugniot, O. Dutour, J. Jaubert, and P. Paillet, 42–55. CTHS éditions.
    1. Coqueugniot, H., O. Dutour, B. Arensburg, H. Duday, B. Vandermeersch, and A. M. Tillier. 2014. “Earliest Cranio‐Encephalic Trauma From the Levantine Middle Palaeolithic: 3D Reappraisal of the Qafzeh 11 Skull, Consequences of Pediatric Brain Damage on Individual Condition and Social Care.” PLoS One 9: e102822.
    1. Coqueugniot, H., and J. J. Hublin. 2012. “Age‐Related Changes of Digital Endocranial Volume During Human Ontogeny: Results From an Osteological Reference Collection.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology 147: 312–318.

Publication types