A new species of hominid, Homo naledi, was announced by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), the National Geographic Society, the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation of South Africa, on 10 September 2015.

 

The discovery consists of more than 1 550 fossil elements making it the single largest fossil hominin find ever on the African continent.

 

The finds shed light on the origins and diversity of our species and apparently indicate deliberate deposition of bodies in a remote cave chamber, behaviour that is thought to be limited to humans.

 

The fossils were found in deep underground in a chamber named Dinaledi, or Chamber of Stars, by researchers led by Professor Lee Berger of the Evolutionary Studies Institute at Wits. The discovery of the Chamber of Stars, in the Cradle of  Humankind about 50 km northwest of Johannesburg, was announced by the Rising Star Expedition, in 2013.

 

H. naledi was named after the Rising Star Cave - "naledi' means star in SeSotho.

 

So far, the team has recovered parts of at least 15 individuals. A wealth of bones remain still to be excavated. Excavation is difficult because the chamber is about 90 m from the cave entrance and can be accessed only by very slender individuals.

 

Ritualised behaviour?

 

Apart from a few mouse and bird remains, the bones all belong to the hominin (an unprecedented situation in the fossil hominin record). The bones exhibit no carnivore or savenger marks, nor any other signs that non-human or natural processes such as water, were responsible for their deposition.

 

"We explored every alternative scenario, including mass death, an unknown carnivore, water transport from another location, or accidental death in a death trap, among others" said Berger. "In examining every other option, we were left with intentional body disposal by Homo naledi as the most plausible scenario"

 

A blend of primitive and modern

 

H. naledi exhibits human and primitive features. Whereas the feet are virtually indistinguishable from ours, the shoulders are like those of apes. The hands have extremely curved fingers showing climbing abilities, but also were capable of tool-making.

 

The brain is tiny "about the size of an average orange" and would  have been perched on a body about 1.5 m tall, weighing about 45 kg.

 

 

CRITIQUE links: http://elifesciences.org/category/research-article and search for The many mysteries of Homo naledi

 

http://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/just-in/20-10-01/bones-contention-why-cal-paleo-expert-so-skeptical-homo [you may get a message "page not found", but simply search for Homo naledi