Happy #fossilfriday humans!

Wanted to share this recent article from Willman et al 2020 on the "Biocultural diversity in Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene Africa: Olduvai Hominid 1 (Tanzania) biological affinity and intentional body modification"

OH1 was excavated over 100 years ago in Olduvai, representing a male around 25-35 years old that was deliberately buried. The skeletal morphology and artifacts associated with the fossils support a Late Pleistocene/Later Stone Age context.

Recent dental microwear and oral pathology assessment by Willman and colleagues reveal three large, concave facets on the front and sides of the lower jaw that they conclude is a result of intentional body modification, wearing of facial piercings.

Although they consider multiple scenarios for differential diagnosis, their findings "suggest that the expression of social identities through intentional body modification is more diverse than previously documented in Africa during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene."

How cool is that? Behavior that we can glean from fossils!

Now if you excuse me, I have a lot of music to cry myself through for the rest of the weekend. All hail the heart-breaker!

Stay healthy and think accurate and lovely thoughts, humans 🖤💀

Source: Willman et al. 2020. Biocultural diversity in Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene Africa: Olduvai Hominid 1 (Tanzania) biological affinity and intentional body modification. AJPA. 172:664-681.