Steinheim skull

The Steinheim skull is a fossilized skull of a Homo heidelbergensis found in 1933 near Steinheim an der Murr (20 km north of Stuttgart, Germany). It is estimated to be 250,000–350,000 years old. The skull is slightly flattened and has a cranial capacity from 1110–1200 cc. Others give volumes of (950), 1179±30 and 1270±10 cc. Sometimes referred to as Homo steinheimensis, the original fossil is housed in the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart, Germany. Some believe that the Steinheim skull may have belonged to an adult female due to its gracile nature.

Classification

The "primitive man of Steinheim" is a single find. The designation Steinheim skull can be seen as a mere reference to the location of the fossil, but in no way identifies with a certain taxon. The skull shows characteristics of both Homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals. It is therefore classified by most paleoanthropologists to Homo heidelbergensis and is believed to be a transitional form of Homo heidelbergensis to Neanderthals. This has sometimes been referred to as "pre-Neanderthal.” The inner ear of the fossil has a feature in which Neanderthals and Homo sapiens differ. The location of the semicircular canals of the inner ear in the temporal bone of the skull base is similar to the situation in Neanderthals, while the semicircular canals of the older Homo erectus, which Homo sapiens are closer.