A Late Pleistocene human pedal phalanx from the Pinnacle Point PP5-6N Rock-Shelter, Western Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

Objectives This study provides the description and comparative morphometric analysis of a non-hallucial distal pedal phalanx (PP 654270) excavated from near the base of the LBSR Stratigraphic Aggregate in the Pinnacle Point PP5-6N rock-shelter. It derives from a thin combustion feature (probably an in situ hearth) at the contact of two major stratigraphic aggregates, the transition of which has a modeled age range of 91.9–86.0 ka, which places this fossil in MIS 5b.

Material and Method This phalanx (PP 654270) is assessed as representing a distal phalanx probably from the right side of Ray II or III. This bone adds to the very meager sample of pedal phalanges from the late Pleistocene of southern Africa. We compared the metric variables of this phalanx to several fossil and recent Homo samples.

Results The bone has a comparatively thin cortex and a diffuse trabecular network in the proximal and especially the distal ends. The phalanx is long, narrow, and relatively gracile in comparison to Neandertal homologues.

Discussion The phalanx PP 654270 displays similarities with penecontemporaneous Eurasian Middle Paleolithic and recent modern humans, although it tends to be comparatively long for Ray II and III homologues in these samples.