CLAVICLES, SCAPULAE AND HUMERI FROM THE SIMA DE LOS HUESOS SITE (SIERRA DE ATAPUERCA, SPAIN)

The scapulae, clavicles and humeri recovered from the Sima de los Hues os (SH) site between 1976 and 1994 are studied. All elements are brief ly described anatomically with metrics and compared with other fossil hominids in order to establish the morphological pattern of the SH hom inids. A minimum of 13 individuals are represented by the humeri in th e SH sample. Almost all of them can be classified as adolescents and y oung adults. The morphology of the SH hominid shoulder girdle and hume ri indicates that much of the shoulder morphology recognized in the la ter true Neandertal was present in Europe long before they appeared. T hus, this morphological pattern is not exclusive to Neandertals alone. The SH clavicles, scapulae and humeri share with the Neandertals many traits usually considered to be Neandertal specializations. The compa rative analysis of the SH evidence suggests that most of the SH and Ne andertal shared traits are either primitive features within the genus Homo or even for all hominids, or display high variability within diff erent hominid samples. These traits must he used with caution, or not used at all, in phylogenetic analysis. There are, however, traits that to date have only been detected in the SH hominids and the Neandertal s. which could be exclusive to the European phyletic lineage (clade) o f Homo. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.