The remains of Grimaldi were discovered in the cave called the Gratte des Enfants,in the Village of Grimaldi on the Mediterranean Coastal region. The material found was a skeleton of a woman of about 30 years of age and a boy of about 15. the skeleton of the latter was stained with red ochre. The manner in which the skeletons were placed suggests intentional burial. In the same site were found artifacts of Aurignacian type. The flints were worked on both the sides. Knives, same scrapers, gravers etc. were the important tools. The geological age is late Pleistocene.
Characteristics of Grimaldi:
- The skulls are long, narrow and high and so are hyperdalichocephalic.
- Cranial index of 68.5 in females and 69.2 in boys.
- The head height is about 11.5 cm.
- Cranial capacity of the female skull was 1265 CC and boy was 1455 CC.
- Skulls represent an elliptical contour.
- The regions of parietal bosses are flattened.
- Mastoid processes are small.
- Face is large but short and not high.
- Cheek bones is very narrow.
- Supra orbital ridges are not well-developed.
- The forehead is well developed being slightly bulging forwards.
- Orbits are large and sub-rectangular.
- Nose is broad (Platyrrhine).
- Nasal bridge is low and the nasal root is depressed.
- The lower border of the nasal aperture is not sharp.
- The canine fossae are deep.
- The Alveolar prognathism is marked.
- The palate is very deep,long and narrow.
- The Alveolar bordes is U-shaped.
- The jaw is strong.
- Low ascending ramii.
- Chin is poorly developed.
- The lower jaw projects forward.
- Teeth are large.
- The upper molars have four well developed cusps and the lower have fine well developed cusps.
- The height of the female is 5′ 3″ and male is 5’Vh”.
- The lower limb is longer in relation to the upper limb.
- The forearm and leg are very long in proportion to the arm and thigh respectively.
The Grimaldi man is comparable to the modem Negro or Negroid types as the Negroid characteristics are well-developed in Grimaldi man. Hence,it is supposed to represent a late incursion of African race into European territory.