Abstract
After 20 years of research, the Atapuerca sites have provided a large amount of archaeological and palaeontological remains. Human fossils have been found in three sites: Gran Dolina, galería and Sima de los Huesos. The Early Pleistocene human fossils from Gran Dolina have been ascribed to a new species,Homo antecessor, that represent the last common ancestor of Neandertals and modern humans. The Sima de los Huesos fossils and all the European Middle Pleistocene human fossils are the ancestors exclusively of the Neandertals, which evolved in Europe in conditions of geographic and genetic isolation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arsuaga, J.L., Carretero, J.M., Gracia, A. & Martínez, I., 1990. Taphonomical analysis of the human sample from the Sima de los Huesos Middle Pleistocene site (Atapuerca/Ibeas, Spain).Human Evolution, 5, 505–513.
Arsuaga, J.L., Carretero, J.M., Martínez, I. & Gracia, A., 1991. Cranial remains and long bones from Atapuerca/Ibeas (Spain).Journal of Human Evolution, 20, 191–230.
Arsuaga, J.L., Martínez, I., Gracia, A., Carretero, J.M. & Carbonell, E., 1993. Three new human skulls from the Sima de los Huesos middle Pleistocene site in Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain.Nature, 362, 534–537.
Arsuaga, J.L., Martínez, I., Gracia, A., Carretero, J.M., Lorenzo, C., García, N. & Ortega, A.I., 1997a. Sima de los Huesos (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain). The site.Journal of Human Evolution, 33, 109–127.
Arsuaga, J.L., Martínez, I., Gracia, A. & Lorenzo, C., 1997b. The Sima de los Huesos crania (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain). A comparative study.Journal of Human Evolution, 33, 219–281.
Arsuaga, J.L., Carretero, J.M., Lorenzo, C., Gracia, A., Martínez, I., Bermúdez de Castro, J.M. & Carbonell, E., 1997c. Size variation in Middle Pleistocene humans.Science, 277, 1086–1088.
Arsuaga, J.L., Martínez I., Lorenzo, C., Gracia A., Muñoz, A., Alonso, O. & Gallego, J., 1999a. The human cranial remains from Gran Dolina Lower Pleistocene site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain).Journal of Human Evolution, 37, 431–457.
Arsuaga, J.L., Gracia, A., Lorenzo, C., Martínez, I. & Pérez, P.J., 1999b. Resto craneal humano de Galería/Cueva de los Zarpazos. In (E. Carbonell, A. Rosas, & J.C. Díez, Ed.).Atapuerca: Ocupaciones humanas y Paleoecología del yacimiento de Galería pp 233–235. Valladolid: Junta de Castilla y León.
Bermúdez de Castro, J.M. & Rosas, A., 1992. A human mandibular fragment from the Atapuerca Trench (Burgos, Spain).Journal of Human Evolution, 22, 41–46.
Bermúdez de Castro, J.M. & Nicolás, M.E., 1995. Posterior dental size reduction in hominids: the Atapuerca evidence.American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 96, 335–356.
Bermúdez de Castro, J.M. & Nicolás, M.E., 1997. Palaeodemography of the Atapuerca-SH Middle Pleistocene hominid sample.Journal of Human Evolution, 33, 333–355.
Bermúdez de Castro, J.M., Arsuaga, J.L., Carbonell, E., Rosas, A., Martínez, I. & Mosquera, M., 1997. A hominid from the Lower Pleistocene of Atapuerca: possible ancestor to Neandertals and modern humans.Science, 276, 1392–1395.
Bermúdez de Castro, J.M., Rosas, A., Carbonell, E., Nicolás, M.E., Rodríguez, J. & Arsuaga, J. L., 1999a. A modern human pattern of dental development in Lower Pleistocene hominids from Atapuerca-TD6 (Spain).Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 96, 4210–4213.
Bermúdez de Castro, J.M., Rosas, A. & Nicolás, M.E., 1999b. Dental remains from Atapuerca-TD6 (Gran Dolina site, Burgos, Spain).Journal of Human Evolution, 37, 523–566.
Bischoff, J.L., Fitzpatrick, J.A., León, L., Arsuaga, J.L., Falgueres, C., Bahain, J.J. & Bullen, T., 1997. Geology and preliminary dating of the hominid-bearing sedimentary fill of the Sima de los Huesos Chamber, Cueva Mayor of the Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain.Journal of Human Evolution, 33, 129–154.
Bocquet-Appel, J.-P. & Arsuaga, J.L., 1999. Age distributions of hominid samples at Atapuerca (SH) and Krapina could indicate accumulation by catastrophe.Journal of Archaeological Science 26, 327–338.
Carbonell, E., Bermúdez de Castro, J.M., Arsuaga, J.L., Díez, J.C., Rosas, A., Cuenca-Bescós, G., Sala, R., Mosquera, M. & Ridríguez, X.P., 1995. Lower Pleistocene Hominids and Artefacts from Atapuerca-TD6 (Spain).Science, 269, 826–830.
Carbonell, E., García-Antón, M.D., Mallol, C. Mosquera, M., Ollé, A., Rodrígues, X.P., Sahnouni, M. Sala, R. & Vergès, J.M., 1999a. The TD6 level lithic industry from Gran Dolina, Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain): production and use.Journal of Human Evolution, 37, 653–693.
Carbonell, E., Rosas, A. & Díez, J.C. (Eds.) 1999b.Atapuerca: Ocupaciones humanas y paleontología del yacimiento de Galería. Zamora: Junter de Castillay León.
Carretero, J.M., Arsuaga, J.L. & Lorenzo, C. 1997. Clavicles, scapulae and humeri from the Sima de los Huesos site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain).Journal of Human Evolution, 33, 357–408.
Carretero, J.M., Lorenzo, C. & Arsuaga, J.L., 1999. The axial and appendicular skeleton ofHomo antecessor.Journal of Human Evolution, 37, 459–499.
Cuenca-Bescós, G., Laplana Conesa, C., Canudo, J.I. & Arsuaga, J.L., 1997. Small mammals from Sima de los Huesos.Journal of Human Evolution, 33, 175–190.
Cuenca-Bescós, G., Laplana Conesa, C. & Canudo, J.I., 1999. Biochronological implications of the Arvicolidae (Rodentia, Mammalia) from the Lower Pleistocene Hominid bearing level Trinchera Dolina 6 (TD6, Atapuerca, Spain).Journal of Human Evolution.
Fernández-Jalvo, Y., Díez, J.C., Bermúdez de Castro, J.M., Carbonell, E. & Arsuaga, J.L., 1996. Evidence of early Cannibalism.Science, 271, 269–270.
García, N., Arsuaga, J.L. & Torres, T., 1997. The carnivore remains from the Sima de los Huesos Middle Pleistocene site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain).Journal of Human Evolution, 33, 155–174.
García, N. & Arsuaga, J.L., 1999. Carnivores from the Early Pleistocene hominid-bearing Trinchera Dolina 6 (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain).Journal of Human Evolution, 37, 415–430.
García Antón, M. (1998). Reconstrucciones de paleovegetación en Atapuerca según análisis polínico. In (E. Aguirre, Ed.),Atapuerca y la Evolución Humana, pp. 61–71. Madrid: Fundación Ramón Areces.
Lorenzo, C. Carretero, J.M., Gracia, A. & Arsuaga, J.L., Martínez, I., 1998. Intrapopulational body size variation and cranial capacity variation in Middle Pleistocene humans. The Sima de los Huesos sample (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain).American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 106, 19–33.
Lorenzo, C. & Arsuaga, J.L., Carretero, J.M. 1999 Hand and foot remains from Gran Dolina early Pleistocene site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos).Journal of Human Evolution, 37, 501–522.
Martínez, I. & Arsuaga, J.L., 1997. The temporal bones from Sima de los Huesos Middle Pleistocene site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain). A phylogenetic approach.Journal of Human Evolution, 33, 283–318.
Made, J. van der, 1998. Ungulates from Gran Dolina (Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain).Quaternaire, 9, 267–281.
Parés, J.M. & Pérez-González, A., 1995. Paleomagnetic age for hominid fossils at Atapuerca archaeological site, Spain.Science, 269, 830–832.
Rightmire, G.P., 1998. Evidence from facial morphology for similarity of Asian and African representatives ofHomo erectus.American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 106, 61–85.
Rosas, A., 1995. Seventeen new mandibular specimens from the Atapuerca/Ibeas Middle Pleistocene Hominids sample (1985–1992).Journal of Human Evolution, 28, 533–559.
Schoetensack, O., 1908.Der Unterkiefer des Homo heidelbergensis aus den Sanden von Mauer bei Heidelberg. Leipzig: Wilheim Engelmann.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arsuaga, J.L., Lorenzo, C., Martínez, I. et al. The Atapuerca human fossils. Hum. Evol. 15, 75–82 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02436236
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02436236