The earliest Pleistocene record of a large-bodied hominin from the Levant supports two out-of-Africa dispersal events.

The paucity of early Pleistocene hominin fossils in Eurasia hinders an in-depth discussion on their paleobiology and paleoecology. Here we report on the earliest large-bodied hominin remains from the Levantine corridor: a juvenile vertebra (UB 10749) from the early Pleistocene site of 'Ubeidiya, Israel, discovered during a reanalysis of the faunal remains. UB 10749 is a complete lower lumbar vertebral body, with morphological characteristics consistent with Homo sp. Our analysis indicates that UB-10749 was a 6- to 12-year-old child at death, displaying delayed ossification pattern compared with modern humans. Its predicted adult size is comparable to other early Pleistocene large-bodied hominins from Africa. Paleobiological differences between UB 10749 and other early Eurasian hominins supports at least two distinct out-of-Africa dispersal events. This observation corresponds with variants of lithic traditions (Oldowan; Acheulian) as well as various ecological niches across early Pleistocene sites in Eurasia.

Early Upper Paleolithic chronology in the Levant: new ABOx-SC accelerator mass spectrometry results from the Mughr el-Hamamah Site, Jordan.

Methodological developments and new paleoanthropological data remain jointly central to clarifying the timing and systemic interrelationships between the Middle-Upper Paleolithic (MP-UP) archaeological transition and the broadly contemporaneous anatomically modern human-archaic biological turnover. In the recently discovered cave site of Mughr el-Hamamah, Jordan, in situ flint artifacts comprise a diagnostic early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) assemblage. Unusually well-preserved charcoal from hearths and other anthropogenic features associated with the lithic material were subjected to acid-base-wet oxidation-stepped combustion (ABOx-SC) pretreatment. This article presents the ABOx-SC accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates on nine charcoal specimens from a single palimpsest occupation layer. Date calibration was carried out using the INTCAL13 radiocarbon calibration dataset. With the bulk of the material dating to 45-39 ka cal BP (thousands of years calibrated before present), the Mughr el-Hamamah lithic artifacts reveal important differences from penecontemporaneous sites in the region, documenting greater technological variability than previously known for this time frame in the Levant. The radiocarbon data from this EUP archaeological context highlight remaining challenges for increasing chronological precision in documenting the MP-UP transition.

Revisiting the question of Neandertal regional variability: a view from the Rhône valley corridor.

We compared the dental assemblage of the Rhône Valley corridor (RVC) with that of European Neandertals dating to MOIS 7-4 using two linear measurements and three indices. To test if the RVC population was significantly different from Western European Neandertals, we preformed a multi-tiered approached. First, we tested for the normality of the variables using a Shapiro-Wilks test. If the variables were normal, a stepwise Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) (using Mahalanobis distances) was performed for the normally distributed variables. DFA uses correlation metrics to address weight combinations of variables and emphasizes between group variation while minimizing within group variation. Results show that there is no distinction between the RVC population and other Neandertals except for the Crown Module index of the upper canine. However, the presence of a single significant result does not provide evidence for a local RVC variant within the Neandertal population. These results are supported by evidence from archaeological analysis of this region. We propose that the high genetic control for dental size and shape may account for the reduced ability to distinguish between subpopulation groups based on dental dimensions in groups with small effective size such as the Neandertals.

The presence of a large cercopithecine (cf. Theropithecus sp.) in the 'Ubeidiya formation (Early Pleistocene, Israel).

This study presents the discovery of a right cercopithecine calcaneus from the site of 'Ubeidiya, Israel, dated to ca. 1.6 Ma. The fossil is described and statistically compared to bones of modern and fossil cercopithecids. The specimen can be attributed to a large-bodied cercopithecine and represents a new primate taxon previously unidentified in the Early Pleistocene of the Southern Levant. Among extant genera, it is most clearly similar to calcanei of Theropithecus. However, it could also represent Paradolichopithecus, but this alternative is unlikely due to the morphological uniqueness of the latter taxon. The finding of an African taxon in the Levant suggests a circum-Mediterranean dispersal route for the taxon out of Africa, and emphasizes the importance of the Levantine corridor as a biogeographic dispersal route between Africa and Eurasia during the Early Pleistocene. Evidence for the biogeography of large-bodied primates is essential for the understanding of the dispersal routes of "Out of Africa I" taxa and can help elucidate Homo dispersal patterns in the Early Pleistocene.

The large carnivores from 'Ubeidiya (early Pleistocene, Israel): biochronological and biogeographical implications.

The archaeological site of 'Ubeidiya provides a unique, rich faunal assemblage, as well as evidence for the presence of early hominins in the Levant. Paleontological analysis of the faunal community is pertinent to understanding the biochronology and the timing of hominin dispersal events from Africa to Eurasia. This study presents the large carnivores from the recent seasons of excavations (1989-1999) and previously published material. Based on biochronological correlations of the carnivore guild and paloemagnetism, the age of the site is 1.5-1.2 Ma. This date is 100-200,000 years earlier than previous estimates. Of specific importance is the presence of the African origin saber tooth Megantereon cf. M. whitei and the Eurasian origin canids Canis moschbachensis and Lycaon lycoanoides.

New evidence for hominid presence in the Lower Pleistocene of the Southern Levant.

The site of 'Ubeidiya is located in the Jordan Valley, Israel and has been biochronologically dated to 1.5 m.y.a. It exhibits large lithic and faunal assemblages. Previous published hominid material includes a molar (UB 1701) and I(2) (UB 1700). A recent review of the faunal material from previous excavations has revealed a highly worn hominid right lateral lower incisor (UB 335). The tooth was found in situ in the Lower Pleistocene deposits of stratum I-26a, which is comprised of sand and conglomerates of flint, limestone and basalt indicative of a pebbled lakeshore environment. Taphonomic analysis of the macromammal assemblage indicates high-energy fluvial transport. Paleoecological reconstruction suggests a large woodland fauna with a small percent of open steppe species.UB 335 did not differ significantly from the Lower Pleistocene hominid and modern populations but did differ significantly from all other fossil populations. Two-tailed Student t -test and single classification Model II ANOVA of the buccolingual diameter did not distinguish between Lower Pleistocene species: Homo habilis, H. ergaster and H. cf. erectus. Thus, UB 335 can be identified as a Lower Pleistocene hominid although it cannot be securely assigned to any particular species within that time frame. The current date of the 'Ubeidiya deposits and the location of the site within the Levantine corridor suggests a tenative identification as H. ergaster.