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Open Fossils Glossary, Charts. 		Content created 2010-10-05
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Homo heidelbergensis

Formerly Called:
Homo rhodesiensis, among other things (even including Neanderthal!)
Most Famous Specimens:
Mauer Jaw (Germany), Rhodesian Man (=Kabwe) (Zambia)
Location:
Eurasia, Africa.
Most Famous Sites:
Mauer (Germany), Arago (France), Bodo (Ethiopia), Kabwe (Zambia), Petralona (Greece), Jinniushan (China), Bilzingsleben (Germany)
Time Range:
600 tya - 100 tya.
Cranial Capacity:
1200 cc
Cranial Features:
Projecting face, very large brow ridges (thickest above the middle of each eye).
Special Note:
Possible active hunting of large mammals. The specimens from Atapuerca in Spain, called Homo antecessor by their excavators, are sometimes included in this category.
The wide geographical range and the amount of morphological variation in the specimens included here make this a suspect "catch-all" classification. It is unclear how long these diverse forms will be classed together. The tool technology seems similar to the Acheulean technology associated with H. erectus. (More About the Acheulean)
Wikipedia link
photo

"Rhodesian Man" Fossil
(San Diego Museum of Man)

photo

Atapuerca 5 Specimen ("Homo antecessor")
(San Diego Museum of Man)


photo

1916 Reconstruction of "Mauer Man" From a Single Jaw (!)
(San Diego Museum of Man)



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