Skull Identification, Essay Example

The first skull in the anthropology laboratory assignment has been assigned the numerical identification D2700 skull from Dmansini, Georgia, which is the European H. erectus. In this assignment, the skull was analyzed and different physical characteristics were examined in order to find out what genus and species the skull belonged to. There were seven physical characteristics that were to be used in order to base the decision, brow ridge, eye orbits, nasal openings, zygomatic arches, cranium size, proportion between face and cranium, forehead, and nasal spine.

In the picture, since it is a profile view, the shape of the eye orbits, zygomatic arches and nasal openings were unable to be viewed; however, the brow ridge, the skull size, proportion between the face and cranium, forehead and nasal spine were examined. The first noticeable feature in the skull was the brow ridges, they were very prominent. The picture also presents a small skull, as well as a small cranium. This was a big indicator that the skull was possibly skull D2700 because the cranium is said to have been one of the smallest and most primitive hominine skulls discovered. The brain to face size is also another indicator that the skull is from the H. erectus. As you can see the brain, which is very small is contrasted with a larger face, giving a disproportionate appearance, with the face making 60% of the total skull. This disproportion has been noted in the H. erectus. In addition, the brain looks as if it is sitting behind the face, resulting in a low, vertical forehead. As you can see in the picture, the forehead is low and close to the eye orbits. In addition, the forehead is vertical. This is also a major sign that the skull was in fact a H. erectus. The picture shows some sort of forehead, in which we believe that the foreheads began to evolve in the H. erectus, but they were still in a vertical position. Looking closely at the eye orbits, there is a vertical bone right above the eyes, which is the forehead bone. Finally, the last physical characteristic was identified as a large nasal spine. All of the physical characteristics examined in this photograph are representative to the species H. erectus; therefore, the identification for the picture was assigned as the H. erectus D2700. In addition, in comparing the picture to other species from the genus Hominid, this picture fit more properly into the H. erectus from Dmansini, Georgia.

The second skull picture was identified as ZKD-L3 skull from Zhoukoudian, China, the Asian H. Erectus. The main physical characteristics that were used in order to determine this identification was the shape of the face, cheekbones, eye sockets, braincase, shape of the nose, nasal opening, and brow ridge. The first notable characteristic in the picture of the skull is the flat and broad mid-face that is exhibited. In addition to the broad mid-face, the cheekbones are very high. The eye sockets are a large rectangular shape, which is common for skulls from Asian descent. The next indication of an Asian H. Erectus is the keeled braincase. This differs from craniums identified from Europe, which are more globular. In addition, the other features mentioned previously differ from H. Erectus from Europe in that the Europe H. Erectus a more narrow projecting mid-face with rounded eye sockets.

The shape of the nose in this skull is also an indicator of Asian descent. The nose broad in shape and there is guttering of the lower border of the nasal opening. In addition, the nasal bone is flattened. Furthermore, the face is constructed with massive brow ridges. The ridges curve over each of the eyes, which is different from the bar-like ridges observed in the Peking man. Above the ridges is a notably small forehead, another feature represented in the Asian H. Erectus.

Overall, the facial features presented in the second picture are indicators that the skull is that of the ZKD-L3 skull from Zhoukoudian, China and so named the Asian H. Erectus.