An Archaic Character in the Broken Hill Innominate E. 719

The additional hominid material from Broken Hill, Kabwe, Zambia, is only dubiously associated with the hominid cranium from the site and is often considered to be anatomically modern in morphology. This study identifies an archaic feature, previously recognised in Pliocene and earlier Pleistocene innominates, in the Broken Hill innominate E. 719. An acetabulocristal buttress of cortical bone 10 mm thick is present, and this can be clearly distinguished from the morphology present in a comparative sample of large recent Homo sapiens innominates. This observation increases the likelihood that some of the additional specimens from Broken Hill are indeed of comparable antiquity to the hominid cranium and extends the range of hominids in which the feature has been recognised.