Neanderthalian remains fromFigueira Brava cave, Portugal

Abstract

Some neanderthalian remains from Figueira Brava cave (bed 2) are described. All were found among human food leftovers and mousterian implements. Human remains are all compatible and correspond to a 16 to 17 years old, most probably male, individual. The only tooth, a left upper P4, shows several characteristics that allow it to be ascribed to a Neanderthalian. The whole context and correlation with the well-known site of Devil's Tower, Gibraltar (where remains from undoubtful Neanderthalians have been found) lead to the same conclusion, i.e., that Figueira Brava man is a neanderthalian. Morbidity features are also present: enamel punctiform hypoplasies, probably related to health and nutritional deficiencies; an ante mortem lesion with loss of some enamel with evidence of light afterwards fonctional abrasion; cement coating on very restricted crown surface areas, that may correspond to an hypercementosis process; a pulpolite and the reactional dentine formation, related to intensive masticatory efforts, this being corroborated by the general robustness of the tooth (and specially of the root) and by radicular hypercementosis. The same tooth also shows some hitherto undescribed post mortem modifications, i.e. 8 near parallel and subvertical incisions on the mesial surface and 10 more on the distal one produced by a cutting tool. The corpse was most probably torn apart without direct inhumation. After discussing the context, canibalism seems to be the only possible explanation.