Re-evaluation of the age at death of immature fossil hominids

ABSTRACT We report here revised chronological ages at death of immature fossil hominids demonstrating for the first time that Plio-Pleistocene hominids had markedly abbreviated growth

periods relative to modern man, similar to those of the modern great apes. Previous estimates of age at death for fossil hominids have principally been based on dental eruption, maturation

and dental wear criteria for modern man1,2 and hence reflect their age in ‘human’ years3. We are now able to estimate the absolute duration of permanent incisor crown formation by observing

gross incremental growth features in enamel and thereby apply a timescale to dental developmental events for specimens representing four Plio-Pleistocene fossil hominid taxa. Thus we have

derived more reliable—species-specific—estimates of age at death that provide a more secure model on which to base studies of the palaeodemography, growth and maturation of early hominids.

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support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS JURASSIC FOSSIL JUVENILE REVEALS PROLONGED LIFE HISTORY IN EARLY MAMMALS Article 24 July 2024 INTEGRATING ONTOGENETIC AND BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS

IN FOSSIL AND EXTANT _LYNX PARDINUS_ (TEMMINCK, 1827) Article Open access 13 May 2025 THE EARLIEST PLEISTOCENE RECORD OF A LARGE-BODIED HOMININ FROM THE LEVANT SUPPORTS TWO OUT-OF-AFRICA

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335–353 (1976). Google Scholar  Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Anatomy and Embryology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

Timothy G. Bromage & M. Christopher Dean * Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, M5S 1A1 Timothy G. Bromage Authors * Timothy G. Bromage View author

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PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Bromage, T., Dean, M. Re-evaluation of the age at death of immature fossil hominids. _Nature_ 317, 525–527 (1985).

https://doi.org/10.1038/317525a0 Download citation * Received: 07 March 1985 * Accepted: 29 August 1985 * Published: 01 October 1985 * Issue Date: 10 October 1985 * DOI:

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