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A team from the University of Murcia, led by Professor Michael Walker, has been described in the American magazine "PNAS" first articulated skeleton of an adult Neanderthal dug in the European Mediterranean coast.
The excavation was carried out at the Sima de las Palomas Cabezo Gordo (Torre Pacheco, Murcia) and represents the most complete skeleton from the calf to the adult Neanderthal cranium recovered in Europe during the last forty years.
The skeleton has the most complete Neanderthal female pelvis in the world, which will allow researchers at the University of Murcia deeper into aspects of reproductive biology of the Neanderthals.
Moreover, as a nearly complete skeleton has been able to compare its size with other northern European Neanderthals, the Mediterranean result of lower height.
The remains were discovered under an accumulation of boulders and lying on your side with arms bent and hands near the face, a position he repeated in other skeletons, which suggests that the authors are trying to prevent the deterioration of the bodies by hyenas and leopards.
The article documents the presence of burnt bones of horses and other animals, besides other Neanderthal remains at the place where the body was found, suggesting that the site was considered special by prehistoric people.
The anatomical investigation was coordinated by Erik Trinkaus of Washington University in Saint Louis.
Source: Universidad de Murcia. Fotos: Juanchi López
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