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Hominid fossils from Sima de las Palomas

Permanent incisors

plate28
Plate 28: Sima de las Palomas: permanent incisor tooth CG-29. Scale in 1cm divisions (Photo M.J.Walker)

A right maxillary permanent medial incisor with a well-developed cingulum, CG-27, shows a lingually shovel-shaped crown, and had lost minute chips from its occlusal incisive edge.

Element in mm
 VL MW average
mesiodistal crown dimension 8.9 8.9 8.9
buccolingual crown dimension 9.4 9.4 9.4
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 6.2 6.2 6.2
buccolingual dimension at the neck 7.8 7.8 7.8
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 5.6 5.6 5.6
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 7.8 7.8 7.8
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 12.1 12.4 12.25
buccal height of the root (circumferential height) 17.0 17.0 17.0
incisoapical height(vertical projection) 27.6 27.6 27.6
Table 10: Odontometric measurements of CG-27 right maxillary medial incisor (measurements taken by A.V.Lombardi - VL and M.J.Walker - MW)

The buccolingual crown dimension (Table 10) surpasses most Neanderthals except for Teik-Tash and some Krapina teeth, at the neck attaining a size normally seen only in archaic teeth. It came from mine rubble on the hillside. A juvenile or adolescent left maxillary permanent medial incisor, CG-29 (see Plate 28 and Table 11), showing an incompletely formed root and lingually shovel-shaped crown, was excavated in the upper cutting (layer 2k).

Elementin mm
mesiodistal crown dimension 9.2
buccolingual crown dimension 7.9
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 6.2
buccolingual dimension at the neck 7.3
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 4.5
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 5.4
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 12.2
buccal height of the root (circumferential height) 12.8 *
incisoapical height (vertical projection)24.4 *
Table 11: Odontometric measurements of CG-29 left maxillary medial incisor (measurements taken by M.J.Walker)
* Root incompletely formed

A right maxillary permanent lateral incisor, CG-37, has minor attrition of crown enamel, with a moderately shovel-shaped lingual aspect, and an intact root. It was excavated in the upper cutting extension in layer Ib. Its high buccolingual neck dimension (Table 12) is characteristically Neanderthal.

Elementin mm
VL MW FS average
mesiodistal crown dimension 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.7
buccolingual crown dimension 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.7
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 5.9 5.5 5.4 5.6
buccolingual dimension at the neck 7.1 7.7 7.2 7.5
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 4.3 4.2 4.4 4.3
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 7.1 7.2 7.0 7.15
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 10.4 - - -
buccal root height (circumferential height) 15.0 - - -
buccal crown height (vertical projection) - 9.4 10.0 9.7
buccal height of the root (vertical projection) - 14.0 13.5 13.75
incisoapical height (vertical projection) 23.4 23.4 23.5 23.3
Table 12: Odontometric measurements of CG-37 right maxillary lateral incisor (measurements taken by A.V.Lombardi - VL, M.J.Walker - MW and F.Sanchez Lopez - FS)

A probably left maxillary permanent lateral incisor - its long root (Table 13) might signal a canine - with a crown showing little attrition, CG-39, was excavated in the upper cutting extension high up in layer Ib.

Elementin mm
VLMWFSaverage
mesiodistal crown dimension6.9 6.9 6.95 6.9
buccolingual crown dimension 7.0 7.1 7.1 7.1
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 4.9 5.0 5.2 5.05
buccolingual dimension at the neck 7.1 7.4 7.4 7.3
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 3.4 3.7 3.65 3.6
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 6.3 6.6 6.6 6.5
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 8.5 ---
buccal height of the root (circumferential height) 20.8 ---
buccal crown height (vertical projection)- 8.35 8.35 8.35
buccal height of the root (vertical projection) -20.35 20.35 20.35
incisoapical height (vertical projection) 28.8 28.8 28.7 28.8
Table 13: Odontometric measurements of CG-39 left maxillary lateral incisor (measurements taken by A.V.Lombardi - VL, M.J.Walker - MW and F.Sanchez Lopez -FS)

A right mandibular juvenile or adolescent medial permanent incisor, CG-47 (Table 14), with an incompletely formed root and no attrition of the crown, was excavated in the upper cutting extension in layer Ib.

Elementin mm
VLMWaverage
mesiodistal crown dimension7.9 6.9 7.4
buccolingual crown dimension 9.4 9.7 9.55
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 5.4 5.3 5.35
buccolingual dimension at the neck 7.9 7.9 7.9
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 4.3 4.5 4.4
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root---
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 9.0 --
buccal height of the root (circumferential height)13.8 *--
buccal crown height (vertical projection)- 9.2 -
buccal height of the root (vertical projection) -13.5 * -
incisoapical height (vertical projection)22.0 * 22.2 * 22.1 *
Table 14: Odontometric measurements of CG-47 right mandibular medial incisor (measurements taken by A.V.Lombardi - VL and M.J.Walker - MW)
*Root incompletely formed

A probably right, mandibular medial permanent incisor, CG-40 (Table 15), with an incompletely formed root like that in modern 6 year-olds, was excavated in the upper cutting extension in layer Ia.

Elementin mm
mesiodistal crown dimension5.4
buccolingual crown dimension5.9
mesiodistal dimension at the neck4.0
buccolingual dimension at the neck4.8
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root3.3
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root6.2
buccal crown height (vertical projection)9.1
buccal height of the root (vertical projection)9.4 *
incisoapical height (vertical projection)18.5 *
Table 15: Odontometric measurements of CG-40 right mandibular medial incisor (measurements taken by M.J.Walker)
* Root incompletely formed#

A left mandibular lateral permanent incisor, CG-23 (Table 16), with lingually shovel-shaped crown showing attrition of enamel on its occlusal incisive edge, was excavated in the upper cutting in layer 2.

Elementin mm
mesiodistal crown dimension 5.6
buccolingual crown dimension 7.0
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 4.0
buccolingual dimension at the neck 7.1
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 3.7
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 7.7
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 7.3
buccal height of the root (circumferential height)13.8 *
incisoapical height (vertical projection)26.7 *
Table 16: Odontometric measurements of CG-23 left mandibular lateral incisor (measurements taken by M.J.Walker)
* Root may have deficit of up to 2mm

Permanent canines

A right maxillary permanent canine, with no attrition of crown enamel, CG-22 (Table 17), was excavated from the upper cutting in layer 2d.

Elementin mm
mesiodistal crown dimension 7.9
buccolingual crown dimension 8.5
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 5.6
buccolingual dimension at the neck 8.7
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 4.4
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 9.1
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 9.4
buccal height of the root (circumferential height) 17.3
incisoapical height (vertical projection) 26.7
Table 17: Odontometric measurements of CG-17 right maxillary canine (measurements taken by M.J.Walker)

A probable right, mandibular juvenile permanent canine, CG-30, with maybe 10mm of its root unformed, but with characteristically Neanderthal dimensions (Table 18), was excavated in the upper cutting in layer 2f.

Elementin mm
mesiodistal crown dimension 7.8
buccolingual crown dimension 8.2
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 5.6
buccolingual dimension at the neck 8.0
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 5.0
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 8.0
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 12.2
buccal height of the root (circumferential height) 13.0 *
incisoapical height (vertical projection) 24.0 *
Table 18: Odontometric measurements of CG-30 right mandibular canine (measurements taken by A.V. Lombardi)
* Root incompletely formed

A left maxillary canine, CG-26 (Table 19), with trivial attrition of occlusal enamel, was excavated in the upper cutting extension in layer Ia.

Elementin mm
mesiodistal crown dimension8.0
buccolingual crown dimension8.5
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 5.8
buccolingual dimension at the neck8.0
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 4.5
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 7.0
buccal crown height (circumferential height)9.8
incisoapical height (vertical projection)29. 0
Table 19: Odontometric measurements of CG-26 left maxillary canine (measurements taken by A.V. Lombardi)

Premolars

CG-41 looks like an right mandibular anterior premolar (more than a left maxillary canine or medial incisor); it has a single root and a crown that lost so much enamel from attrition that dentine is exposed all across it. Uncertainty over its attribution affects its orientation for measurement; premolar orientation gives Table 20 values (if it were an incisor, its mesiodistal dimension falls to 10.0mm, other values staying unchanged). A big horizontal groove traverses its interproximal surface (maybe due to tooth-picks). CG-41 was excavated in the upper cutting extension high in layer Ib.

Elementin mm
VLMWFSaverage
mesiodistal crown dimension 10.4 9.1 9.1 9.5
buccolingual crown dimension 9.4 9.3 9.35 9.35
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 8.5 7.6 7.5 7.8
buccolingual dimension at the neck 8.5 8.3 8.3 8.4
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 8.5 6.6 7.4 7.5
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 7.2 ---
buccal height of the root (circumferential height)19.7 ---
buccal crown height (vertical projection)- 7.25 7.15 7.2
buccal height of the root (vertical projection) - 20.0 19.3 19.65
incisoapical height (vertical projection)27.0 27.0 26.25 27.00
Table 20: Odontometric measurements of CG-41 right mandibular anterior premolar (measurements taken by A.V.Lombardi - VL, M.J.Walker - MW and F.Sanchez Lopez - FS)

A right mandibular anterior premolar (unnumbered; Table 21) with 3 lingual cusps (occasionally seen in modern premolars) was excavated in the upper cutting extension in unit 2d.

Elementin mm
mesiodistal crown dimension 8.0
buccolingual crown dimension9.4
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 6.7
buccolingual dimension at the neck 8.4
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 4.5
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 7.2
buccal crown height 8.2
Table 21: Provisional odontometric measurements of (unnumbered) right mandibular anterior premolar (measurements taken by M.J.Walker)

Permanent molars

A probably mandibular middle molar of characteristically Neanderthal dimensions, CG-33 (Table 22), with moderate attrition of enamel and coronal exposure of dentine, was excavated in the upper cutting in layer 2h.

Elementin mm
VLMWaverage
mesiodistal crown dimension 12.0 12.0 12.0
buccolingual crown dimension 10.9 10.9 10.9
mesiodistal dimension at the neck 9.5 9.5 9.5
buccolingual dimension at the neck 9.5 9.5 9.5
maximal mesiodistal dimension of the root 7.9 7.3 7.6
maximal buccolingual dimension of the root 7.4 7.4 7.4
buccal crown height (circumferential height) 7.0 --
buccal height of the root (circumferential height) 14.4 --
buccal crown height (vertical projection) - 7.3 -
buccal height of the root (vertical projection) - 14.0 -
incisoapical height (vertical projection) 21.0 21.3 21.25
Table 22: Odontometric measurements of CG-33 mandibular middle molar (measurements taken by A.V.Lombardi - VL and M.J.Walker - MW)

A maxillary wisdom tooth in its alveolus, CG-43, with a large mesiobuccal cusp, was excavated in the upper cutting extension in layer I; the only measurements possible are mesiodistal and buccolingual crown dimensions of 9.4mm and 10.3mm, respectively. A permanent mandibular second or third molar fragment, CG-36, with severe crown attrition, was excavated in the upper cutting high in layer Ib; its crown height is approximately 5.7mm and incisoapical height about 18.3mm.

Elementin mm
mesiodistal crown dimension12.9
buccolingual crown dimension11.3
buccal crown height7.0
maximal crown height 9.5
Table 23: Odontometric measurements of CG-38 maxillary 2nd or 3rd molar crown (measurements taken by M.J.Walker)

CG-38 is a child's maxillary second or third permanent molar crown with no root yet formed (Table 23); it was excavated in the upper cutting in layer Ia. CG-42 is an infant's tooth germ of a permanent molar crown (Table 24).

Elementin mm
mesiodistal crown dimension8.6
buccolingual crown dimension6.6
crown height5.3
Table 24: Odontometric measurements of CG-42 molar crown tooth germ (measurements taken by M.J.Walker)

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Last updated: Wed Dec 23 1998