Publications

Homo antecessor is one of the earliest hominin taxa documented in Western Europe, represented almost exclusively by the fossil assemblage recovered from the Aurora Stratum (TD6.2) of Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain), dated to approximately 850 ka. Despite the taxonomic and evolutionary significance of this species, its cranial morphology remains incompletely characterized. The TD6 cranial assemblage is fragmentary, and several specimens have yet to receive formal morphological description. Here we present a comprehensive overview of the available cranial material, with the aim of advancing the anatomical characterization of H. antecessor and identifying morphological patterns relevant to its phylogenetic assessment.

The core sample comprises four parietal fragments –ATD6-115, ATD6-128, ATD6-401, and ATD6-100/168– representing a minimum of two adult and one subadult individual. ATD6-100/168 was first described and analyzed by Bruner et al. (2017) and subsequently reanalyzed alongside the three newly described specimens using a standardized protocol to ensure comparability. The morphological description and CVT analysis of all four parietals are presented in a companion study currently under revision. ATD6-60, a pterion fragment, is introduced as supplementary material. Given the structural fragility of the pterion region, its preservation as a fossil specimen is itself noteworthy, and it provides access to a portion of the cranial vault largely undocumented in H. antecessor. Morphological description and morphometric comparison with a modern human reference sample complement the parietal analysis and broaden the anatomical scope of the cranial characterization of the species.

Morphological description is based on direct physical observation and high-resolution micro-computed tomography (µCT). For the parietal sample, µCT data were used to quantify CVT and its three internal components –external table, diploic space, and inner table. Results are discussed in the context of known CVT variation across the genus Homo and are consistent with the proposed phylogenetic position of H. antecessor as a stem member of the Neanderthal–modern human clade, while underscoring the need for caution given the limited number of available cranial remains.

Taken together, this material constitutes the most complete cranial sample of H. antecessor subjected to systematic morphological analysis to date. The ongoing study of additional fragments, combined with material expected from future excavation campaigns at Gran Dolina, will continue to refine our understanding of the cranial biology of this key Early Pleistocene hominin.

Introduction: The identification of cranial remains in both paleontological and forensic contexts has traditionally relied on macroscopic anatomical features. However, the potential of the diploë in the neurocranium to characterize both modern and extinct populations remains underexplored. The application of advanced imaging techniques, such as microCT, enables precise analysis of bone histology, paving the way for new methods of comparing cranial vault bones. This approach may prove useful not only for species characterization but also for gaining insights from a functional perspective. Such innovative methodologies are particularly valuable in the study of fragmentary fossil assemblages, like those recovered from Atapuerca–Gran Dolina TD6.

Objectives: This study presents a description of a new cranial remain of Homo antecessor through both external and internal examinations using microtomographic techniques. As a preliminary approach, the variation in neurocranial thickness—specifically the inner table, diploë, outer table, and total thickness—is compared to a reference sample compiled from the literature.

Materials and Methods: Cranial thickness data for modern humans were obtained from Eisová et al. (2016) (N=26), Beaudet et al. (2018) (N=10) and Natahi (2025) (N=85). The same type of analysis was performed on a microCT scan (0.09 mm) of a fossil cranial fragment of Homo antecessor.

Results and Discussion: Our preliminary study reveals some differences between H. antecessor and modern populations that deserve further exploration. Microtomographic techniques are useful for the precise characterization and visualization of microscopic features. Our exploratory study emphasizes the potential of detailed analysis of the cranial structure—such as diploë microarchitecture and craniovascular traits (Bruner et al., 2017)—as a valuable tool for species identification in both paleontological and forensic contexts.

Introduction. Microforamina are small vascular channels distributed on the endocranial surface of the human vault, with a size ranging from 0.02 to 2.00 mm. The larger ones are distributed in correspondence with the superior sagittal sinus and the larger branches of the middle meningeal vessels. They are possibly involved in cerebral immune responses and inflammation, as well as endocranial thermal regulation.

Objectives. The anatomy, distribution, and functions of these channels are still poorly known. Medical tomographic scans only provide information on the distribution of the larger channels. Microtomography involves technical and sample limitations. In this survey, we investigate the distribution and morphology of these microforamina on a cranial collection from an archaeological sample with a resolution that is intermediate between medical and microtomographic machines.

Material and methods. Ten individuals from a Spanish archaeological collection were scanned at a resolution of 0.25 mm. Microforamina have been detected on 2D sections, as well as on 3D reconstructions. Results are described in terms of anatomical distribution and channel size.

Results and discussion. The current resolution is able to detect a large number of channels, namely 100-350 per individual. Most individuals present between 150 and 250 channels. The largest microforamina can exceed 2 mm in lumen size. These results suggest that CT scanning cranial specimens with a resolution of 0.25 mm is an acceptable trade-off for studies in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology.

The precuneus suffers structural, functional, and metabolic impairments during the prodromal and early stages of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). However, most of the information on the corresponding anatomical changes comes from imaging methods that do not preserve the original morphology and homology of the involved cerebral regions. In this preliminary study, we consider whether some of these changes can be recognized in terms of gross geometry and spatial arrangement. We compare a sample of non-AD aging individuals with a sample of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Geometric morphometrics was used to analyse shape differences between groups, through a landmark-based model including the precuneus boundaries and other neighboring references. After registration, differences between the two groups in the dorsal region, in terms of gross atrophy, are not patent. Instead, in AD patients there is a significant reduction of the ventral region, namely those parts contiguous with the retrosplenial cortex. These results are interpreted in terms of brain topology and morphological burden of these areas.