In 1907, Dr. Otto discovered a massive human lower jaw at Mauer, about 6 miles South-East of Heidelberg in Germany. The material found was a complete lower jaw with all its teeth in place. The geological age of the deposit is lower Pleistocene. Probably the Heidelberg man flourished during the Abbevillian (Chellean age) period. In association with the jaw no implements were found. But, the sand deposit from where the jaw was discovered was very rich in fossil remains like an ancient elephant, a wild cat, horse, bison, elk, red deer etc.
Characters of Jaw:
A Homo Heidelbergensis is also known as transitional form as a period of transition between homo erectus, homo sapiens and neanderthaiensis appeared in the second interglacial and the third glacial period. Many of the specimens from this period show a combination of homo erectus and homo sapien features.
Examples are: HeidelBerg Man (Germany), Rhodesian Man (Zambian).
Features of Homo heidelbergensis:
- The Jaw is very large and massive and it gives a very powerful appearance.
- The ascending ramii are very broad and low and are almost square in shape.
- Height is 6.6 cm and breadth 5.0 cm.
- The condyloid process is a large articular surface and is at a higher level than the coronoid, which is blunt and rounded.
- The sigmoid notch is shallow.
- The horizontal ramus is very high and massive.
- The angle of the jaw is truncated as in the orang and also in Neanderthal.
- The chin is absent, an ape like character.
- The alveolar border is parabolic in shape.
- No diastema is present.
- The dental series is regular and continuous as in modern man.
- The teeth are of quite ordinary size.
- The incisors are normal and the canines are small and it does not project beyond the level of other teeth.
- The premolars are normal in size.
- The lower first molars bear five cusps.
- The Heidelberg dimensions and characters of the molars are very often found in modern man also.
Thus it is seen that the jaw shows some remarkable simian features while the dentition is altogether human