Person: Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan Luis
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First Name
Juan Luis
Last Name
Arsuaga Ferreras
Affiliation
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Faculty / Institute
Ciencias Geológicas
Department
Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología
Area
Paleontología
Identifiers
12 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 12
Item Restoration of a fossil human femur from the site of the Sima de los Huesos (Atapuerca, Spain)(L'anthropologie, 2009) Ortega, María Cruz; Gracia Téllez, Ana; Carretero, José Miguel; Martínez, Ignacio; Quam, Rolf; Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan LuisA fossil human femur of Homo heidelbergensis from the site of the Sima de los Huesos (Atapuerca, Spain) was reconstructed from two main proximal and distal portions and numerous smaller fragments from the diaphysis. The use of an evaporative process to separate the bone fragments during their restoration represents an innovative approach in restoring paleontological materials and the intervention has resulted in the reconstruction of a complete femur. To avoid excessive manipulation of the reconstructed femur, a mold (negative) and cast (positive) were made of the restored specimen. This case study provides general protocols which can be widely applied to the restoration of paleontological materials from the moment of their excavation until they are deposited in a research center.Item Paleontological approaches to the evolution of language: The state of the art(L'anthropologie, 2009) Martínez Mendizábal, Ignacio; Quam, Rolf; Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan Luis; Lorenzo, Carlos; Gracia Téllez, Ana; Carretero, José Miguel; Rosa, Manuel; Jarabo, PilarOne of the most influential paleoanthropological approaches to the question of language origins has been the attempt to reconstruct the supralaryngeal vocal tract (SVT) in fossil humans. In particular, the low placement of the larynx was considered to be a uniquely human feature and was interpreted as a specific adaptation to produce human speech. Nevertheless, based on the anatomy of the basicranium and the hyoid bone, various researchers reached different conclusions regarding the placement of the larynx in human fossils, especially in Neandertals. Further, the recent finding of a low placement of the larynx in chimpanzees, calls into question the basic premise on which much of this research has been based. To overcome this, we have proposed and developed a new line of research into the question of speech capabilities in fossil specimens which is focused not on the ability to produce the sounds of spoken language, but on the capacity to perceive them. The modern human auditory pattern is unique among primates in showing a relatively heightened sensitivity to the midrange frequencies between 2-4 kHz, a frequency range which coincides with that of spoken language. Our analysis shows that the preserved skeletal anatomy of the outer and middle ear in the Middle Pleistocene hominids from the site of the Sima de los Huesos is compatible with human-like auditory capacities, and is clearly different from chimpanzees in the midrange frequencies. These results strongly suggest that the anatomical structures which support the modern hum and pattern of intraspecific communication were already present in these human ancestors. Further, the presence of a common condition in both the modern human and Neandertal evolutionary lineages suggests this represents an ancient adaptation within the genus Homo.Item A mitochondrial genome sequence of a hominin from Sima de los Huesos(Nature (London), 2014) Meyer, Matthias; Fu, Qiaomei; Aximu Petri, Ayinuer; Glocke, Isabelle; Nickel, Birgit; Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan Luis; Martínez Mendizábal, Ignacio; Gracia Téllez, Ana; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Carbonell i Roura, Eudald; Pääbo, SvanteExcavations of a complex of caves in the Sierra de Atapuerca in northern Spain have unearthed hominin fossils that range in age from the early Pleistocene to the Holocene1. One of these sites, the ‘Sima de los Huesos’ (‘pit of bones’), has yielded the world’s largest assemblage of Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils2,3, onsisting of at least 28 individuals4 dated to over 300,000 years ago5. The skeletal remains share a number of morphological features with fossils classifieds Homo heidelbergensis and also display distinct neanderthalderived traits6–8. Here we determine an almost complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a hominin from Sima de los Huesos and show that it is closely related to the lineage leading to mitochondrial genomes of enisovans 9,10, an eastern Eurasian sister group to Neanderthals. Our results pave the way for DNA research on hominins from the Middle Pleistocene.Item Human hyoid bones from the middle Pleistocene site of the Sima de los Huesos (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain)(Journal of Human Evolution, 2008) Martínez Mendizábal, Ignacio; Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan Luis; Quam, R.; Carretero, José Miguel; Gracia Téllez, Ana; Rodríguez García, LauraThis study describes and compares two hyoid bones from the middle Pleistocene site of the Sima de los Huesos in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Spain). The Atapuerca SH hyoids are humanlike in both their morphology and dimensions, and they clearly differ from the hyoid bones of chimpanzees and Australopithecus afarensis. Their comparison with the Neandertal specimens Kebara 2 and SDR-034 makes it possible to begin to approach the question of temporal variation and sexual dimorphism in this bone in fossil humans. The results presented here show that the degree of metric and anatomical variation in the fossil sample was similar in magnitude and kind to living humans. Modern hyoid morphology was present by at least 530 kya and appears to represent a shared derived feature of the modern human and Neandertal evolutionary lineages inherited from their last common ancestor.Item Human calcanei from the Middle Pleistocene site of Sima de los Huesos (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain)(Journal of Human Evolution, 2014) Pablos, Adrián; Martínez Mendizábal, Ignacio; Lorenzo, Carlos; Sala Burgos, Nohemi; Gracia Téllez, Ana; Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan LuisThe existence of calcanei in the fossil record prior to modern humans and Neandertals is very scarce. This skeletal element is fundamental to understanding the evolution of the morphology of the foot in human evolution. Here we present and metrically and comparatively describe 29 calcaneus remains from the Middle Pleistocene site of Sima de los Huesos (SH) (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). These calcanei belong to 15 individuals (nine adults, two adolescents and four immature individuals). The metric and morphological differences in the calcanei among Middle and Late Pleistocene hominins tend to be subtle. However, the calcanei from SH are broad and robust with large articular surfaces and most significantly, exhibit a very projected sustentaculum tali. A biomechanical and phylogenetic interpretation is proffered to explain the observed morphology of these calcanei. It has been possible to propose tentative sex assignments for the SH calcanei based on size, using methods similar to those used to establish sex from the talus bones from SH. The estimation of stature based on the calcaneus provides a mean of 175.3 cm for males and 160.6 for females, which is similar to that obtained using other skeletal parts from the site. In sum, the SH calcanei are robust with a proportionally long tubercle and a projected sustentaculum tali, which are traits shared by Neandertals.Item Morphometric analysis of molars in a Middle Pleistocene population shows a mosaic of ‘modern’ and Neanderthal features(Journal of anatomy, 2013) Martinón Torres, María; Spěváčkova, Petra; Gracia Téllez, Ana; Martínez, Ignacio; Bruner, Emiliano; Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan Luis; Bermúdez de Castro, José MaríaPrevious studies of upper first molar (M1) crown shape have shown significant differences between Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis that were already present in the European Middle Pleistocene populations, including the large dental sample from Atapuerca-Sima de los Huesos (SH). Analysis of other M1 features such as the total crown base area, cusp proportions, cusp angles and occlusal polygon have confirmed the differences between both lineages, becoming a useful tool for the taxonomic assignment of isolated teeth from Late Pleistocene sites. However, until now the pattern of expression of these variables has not been known for the SH sample. This fossil sample, the largest collection from the European Middle Pleistocene, is generally interpreted as being from the direct ancestors of Neanderthals, and thus is a reference sample for assessing the origin of the Neanderthal morphologies. Surprisingly, our study reveals that SH M1s present a unique mosaic of H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens features. Regarding the cusp angles and the relative occlusal polygon area, SH matches the H. neanderthalensis pattern. However, regarding the total crown base area and relative cusps size, SH M1s are similar to H. sapiens, with a small crown area, a strong hypocone reduction and a protocone enlargement, although the protocone expansion in SH is significantly larger than in any other group studied. The SH dental sample calls into question the uniqueness of some so-called modern traits. Our study also sounds a note of caution on the use of M1 occlusal morphology for the alpha taxonomy of isolated M1s.Item Neandertal roots: Cranial and chronological evidence from Sima de los Huesos(Science, 2014) Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan Luis; Martínez Mendizábal, Ignacio; Arnold, Lee J.; Aranburu, Arantza; Gracia Téllez, Ana; Sharp, Warren D.; Quam, Rolf M.; Falguères, Christophe; Pantoja Pérez, Ana; Bischoff, James L.; Poza Rey, Eva María; Parés, Josep M.; Carretero, José Miguel; Demuro, Martina; Lorenzo Merino, Carlos; Sala Burgos, Nohemi; Martinón-Torres, María; García García, Nuria; Alcázar de Velasco, Almudena; Cuenca Bescós, Gloria; Gómez Olivencia, Asier; Moreno, Davinia; Pablos, Adrián; Shen, Chuan-Chou; Rodríguez, Laura; Ortega Martínez, Ana Isabel; García González, Rebeca; Bonmatí, Alejandro; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Carbonell i Roura, EudaldSeventeen Middle Pleistocene crania from the Sima de los Huesos site (Atapuerca, Spain) are analyzed, including seven new specimens. This sample makes it possible to thoroughly characterize a Middle Pleistocene hominin paleodeme and to address hypotheses about the origin and evolution of the Neandertals. Using a variety of techniques, the hominin-bearing layer could be reassigned to a period around 430,000 years ago. The sample shows a consistent morphological pattern with derived Neandertal features present in the face and anterior vault, many of which are related to the masticatory apparatus. This suggests that facial modification was the first step in the evolution of the Neandertal lineage, pointing to a mosaic pattern of evolution, with different anatomical and functional modules evolving at different rates.Item Communicative capacities in Middle Pleistocene humans from the Sierra de Atapuerca in Spain(Quaternary International, 2013) Martínez Mendizábal, Ignacio; Rosa Zurera, Manuel; Quam, Rolf; Jarabo, Pilar; Lorenzo Merino, Carlos; Bonmatí, Alejandro; Gómez Olivencia, Asier; Gracia Téllez, Ana; Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan LuisThe present study presents new data on the abilities of Homo heidelbergensis to produce and perceive the sounds emitted during modern human spoken language. The pattern of sound power transmission was studied through the outer and middle ears in five individuals from the Sima de los Huesos, four chimpanzees and four modern humans. The results were then used to calculate the occupied bandwidth of the outer and middle ears, an important variable related with communicative capacities. The results demonstrate that the Atapuerca SH hominins were similar to modern humans in this aspect, falling within the lower half of the range of variation, and clearly distinct from chimpanzees. Specifically, the Atapuerca SH hominins show a bandwidth that is slightly displaced and considerably extended to encompass the frequencies that contain relevant acoustic information in human speech, permitting the transmission of a larger amount of information with fewer errors. At the same time, the presence of a complete cervical segment of the spinal column associated with Cranium 5 from the Sima de los Huesos Middle Pleistocene site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain) makes it possible to estimate the vocal tract proportions in H. heidelbergensis for the first time. The results demonstrate that it is similar to the reconstructed vocal tract in the La Ferrassie 1 Neandertal individual, which has been suggested to have been capable of producing the full range of sounds emitted during modern human spoken language. These results in the Atapuerca (SH) hominins are consistent with other recent suggestions for an ancient origin for human speech capacity.Item Evidence of rickets and/or scurvy in a complete Chalcolithic child skeleton from the El Portalon site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain)(Journal of Anthropological Sciences, 2014) Castilla, María; Carretero, José Miguel; Gracia Téllez, Ana; Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan LuisA case of what are most likely metabolic diseases is identified in a child buried during Chalcolithic times in the El Portalón site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). The skeleton has been directly dated by C14 to between 5030 to 5020 Cal BP. Macroscopic analysis and a CT scan reveal a set of lesions both in the skull and the long bones, which indicate that this individual probably suffered from rickets and scurvy at different stages of his/her life. The lesions are bilateral and are characterized by abnormal porosity, new bone formation and deformation of long bones. The presence of non-specific stress indicators, such as enamel hypoplasias and Harris lines, allow us to establish two times of stress associated with these pathologies: one crisis during infancy (1-3 yrs) and subsequently a second crisis at the beginning of childhood (3-5 yrs). The etiology of both metabolic diseases could be associated with abnormal feeding during these stages of life and/or the living conditions of these populations, e.g., the preparation of food and/ or the existence of infections caused by the transmission of pathogens and unhealthy hygiene. Evidence of metabolic diseases during the recent European Prehistory is rather unknown and very few cases have been reported. Thus, the child from El Portalón can add relevant information about the life and health conditions of these prehistoric populationsItem A revision of the conductive hearing loss in Cranium 4 from the Middle Pleistocene site of Sima de los Huesos (Burgos, Spain)(Journal of Human Evolution, 2019) Conde Valverde, Mercedes; Rosa, Manuel; Martínez, Ignacio; Marchamalo, Julio; Pantoja Pérez, Ana; Quam, Rolf; Lorenzo, Carlos; Gracia Téllez, Ana; García Fernández, Alfredo; Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan Luis; Rivera Rodríguez, TeresaPathological conditions have been previously documented in the Middle Pleistocene Sima de los Huesos hominins from northern Spain, and several of these have clear behavioral implications. Within this fossil assemblage, Cranium 4 shows bilateral external auditory exostoses which have been preliminarily interpreted as causing a significant hearing loss in this individual. If confirmed, this would be the oldest recorded case of deafness in human history and could have important implications for the antiquity of this condition, as well as social interactions. To further investigate this case, the current study presents 3D reconstructions of the entire outer and middle ear, based on computed tomography scans of both temporal bones in Cranium 4. We established the degree of stenosis in both external auditory canals, showing that in both cases the degree of stenosis is less than 52% of the original cross-sectional area of each canal. Based on clinical studies in living humans, the buildup of wax due to the degree of stenosis in Cranium 4 is unlikely to have caused frequent external ear infections. In addition, we estimated the pattern of sound power transmission up to 5 kHz in both ears relying on a comprehensive model developed in the bioengineering literature and which has been applied previously to the Sima de los Huesos hominins. The model was modified to account for the peculiar shape of the pathological external ear canals in Cranium 4. The results show that this pathology had little to no influence on the sound power transmission in this individual. Thus, we conclude that the exostoses present in both ears of Cranium 4 did not significantly affect their hearing.