Diaphyseal cross-sectional geometry of the Boxgrove 1 Middle Pleistocene human tibia

Cross-sectional geometric analysis of the early Middle Pleistocene human ti bia from Boxgrove, West Sussex, U.K. reveals a mosaic pattern relative to o ther archaic Homo tibiae. The specimen has relatively low percent cortical area within its cross sections. However, it exhibits the high mediolateral strength characteristic of archaic Homo tibiae. Scaled solely to tibial len gth it is robust, similar to those of the Neandertals and above those of ea rly modern and pre-late Pleistocene African and Asian humans. However, give n ecogeographically-patterned variance in relative tibial length and body l aterality, it is most likely that it exhibits a level of robusticity within the range encompassed by Late Pliocene to Late Pleistocene archaic Homo co mbined with arctic body proportions. Given its association with late interg lacial cool temperate climatic indicators, the inferred body proportions of the Boxgrove hominid were probably promoted by their minimal level of cult ural buffering, requiring a significant biological conservation of body hea t. (C) 1999 Academic Press.