Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human populations but a small endocranial volume similar to australopiths. Cranial morphology of H. naledi is unique, but most similar to early Homo species including Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis. While primitive, the dentition is generally small and simple in occlusal morphology. H. naledi has humanlike manipulatory adaptations of the hand and wrist. It also exhibits a humanlike foot and lower limb. These humanlike aspects are contrasted in the postcrania with a more primitive or australopith-like trunk, shoulder, pelvis and proximal femur. Representing at least 15 individuals with most skeletal elements repeated multiple times, this is the largest assemblage of a single species of hominins yet discovered in Africa.

It is well known that the human skull achieves adult size through a superior–inferior gradient of maturation. Because the basicranium matures in size before the face, it has been suggested that the form of the basicranium might have ontogenetic knock‐on effects on that of the face. However, although sequential spatially organized maturation of size is well described in the cranium, the maturation of skull shape is not. Knowledge of the maturation of shape is important, nevertheless, because it is claimed that the early determination of the spatial configuration of basicranial components, where the facial skeleton attaches, is relevant in the spatio‐temporal ontogenetic cascade from basicranium to face. This paper examines the ontogeny of various components of the human skull in 28 individuals from the longitudinal Denver Growth Study. Sixty‐six landmarks and semilandmarks were digitized on 228 X‐rays and analysed using geometric morphometric methods. Bootstrapped confidence intervals for centroid size support previous studies suggesting a supero‐inferior gradient of growth maturation (size over time), while developmental maturation (shape over time) is more complex. A sequence of shape maturation is described, in which the earliest structure to mature in shape was the midline cranial base (7–8 years), followed by the lateral cranial floor (11–12), midline neurocranium (9–10) and facial and mandibular structures (15–16). The absolute ages of shape maturation of the latter three depended on the criterion of maturity used, which was not the case for the basicranial components. Additionally, ontogenetic dissociations were found between the maturation of size and shape of the midline cranial base and lateral floor, possibly underlining its role as structural ‘interface’ between brain and facial ontogeny. These findings imply potential for bidirectional developmental influences between the lateral cranial floor and the face until about 11–12 years. The findings are discussed with regard to their relevance for palaeoanthropology and especially the evolutionary and developmental bases of skull morphological variation.

Fossil evidence from the Iberian Peninsula is essential for understanding Neandertal evolution and history. Since 2000, a new sample ≈43,000 years old has been systematically recovered at the El Sidrón cave site (Asturias, Spain). Human remains almost exclusively compose the bone assemblage. All of the skeletal parts are preserved, and there is a moderate occurrence of Middle Paleolithic stone tools. A minimum number of eight individuals are represented, and ancient mtDNA has been extracted from dental and osteological remains. Paleobiology of the El Sidrón archaic humans fits the pattern found in other Neandertal samples: a high incidence of dental hypoplasia and interproximal grooves, yet no traumatic lesions are present. Moreover, unambiguous evidence of human-induced modifications has been found on the human remains. Morphologically, the El Sidrón humans show a large number of Neandertal lineage-derived features even though certain traits place the sample at the limits of Neandertal variation. Integrating the El Sidrón human mandibles into the larger Neandertal sample reveals a north–south geographic patterning, with southern Neandertals showing broader faces with increased lower facial heights. The large El Sidrón sample therefore augments the European evolutionary lineage fossil record and supports ecogeographical variability across Neandertal populations.

The first arrivals of hominin populations into Eurasia during the Early Pleistocene are currently considered to have occurred as short and poorly dated biological dispersions. Questions as to the tempo and mode of these early prehistoric settlements have given rise to debates concerning the taxonomic significance of the lithic assemblages, as trace fossils, and the geographical distribution of the technological traditions found in the Lower Palaeolithic record. Here, we report on the Barranc de la Boella site which has yielded a lithic assemblage dating to ∼1 million years ago that includes large cutting tools (LCT). We argue that distinct technological traditions coexisted in the Iberian archaeological repertoires of the late Early Pleistocene age in a similar way to the earliest sub-Saharan African artefact assemblages. These differences between stone tool assemblages may be attributed to the different chronologies of hominin dispersal events. The archaeological record of Barranc de la Boella completes the geographical distribution of LCT assemblages across southern Eurasia during the EMPT (Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition, circa 942 to 641 kyr). Up to now, chronology of the earliest European LCT assemblages is based on the abundant Palaeolithic record found in terrace river sequences which have been dated to the end of the EMPT and later. However, the findings at Barranc de la Boella suggest that early LCT lithic assemblages appeared in the SW of Europe during earlier hominin dispersal episodes before the definitive colonization of temperate Eurasia took place.