Archanthropus

*Archanthropus* is a dubious genus of "archanthropine" hominid that lived in Greece during the Middle Pleistocene.

## History

Aris Poulianos documents that the specimen was discovered by Christos Sariannidis, a villager, and was found protruding 30 centimeters (12 inches) from the cave wall, held by sinter. Poulianos was head of the excavation team since 1965. The skull was encrusted by brown calcite soon after death and no mandible was discovered. Poulianos (1981) examined the cave stratigraphy and accumulated sediment, suggesting an age of 700,000 years. He assigned the skull to *Archanthropus europaeus petraloniensis*, and has since been classified by others as *Homo erectus*, *Homo heidelbergensis*, *Homo neanderthalensis* and *Homo rhodesiensis*. The last is typically accepted today. Poulianos claims the skull proves models of human evolution that contradict the mainstream. In 1967 and 1983, he complained of delays and excavation discontinuation. In 1977, the Supreme Court ordered for continuation at the site after 15 years of attempts. In 1983, the Ministry of Culture did not reissue excavation concession. He often accused the Greek government of covering up his finds. Since 1960, the skull has been held at the Geology School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

## Description

Two hominin skeletons assumed to be 800,000 years old were also discovered from Petralona. One report of a Petralona skeleton is said to have been 20 centimeters below the skull, being very robust and 155 centimeters tall. It is said to be yet undescribed in detail. If they are from the same individual, they are said to have been a woman 25-35 years of age; traces of fire next to this set may be up to 1 million years old. The height of this individual matches with related populations from Arago.

## Paleobiology

In The Mausoleum, the fragmentary postcrania and skull of what was assumed to be the same specimen was uncovered. They also report traces of food, fire and awls made of scattered bone, It was suggested that the awls pinned animal skins to use as blankets. Chisels, hammers and other tools were also found. It was noted that the chamber is warmer and more dry than the surrounding cave, theorizing that the individual was dying and retreated to this area for warmth. and was tended to by other individuals, since the tools in the assemblage indicated right handedness and thus suggesting that speech was developed since they are curated by the same portion of the brain. Poulianos therefore concludes that this individual was dying and cared for by peers.

## Classification

It is often referred to as a *Homo erectus*, *Homo heidelbergensis*, Neanderthal or a basal *Homo sapiens*. Others once suggested that it is morphologically distinct from other "widespread" species known at the time. Roksandic et al. (2022) suggested that the skull could be subsumed into *Homo rhodesiensis*, and specimens like Mauer would be *Homo heidelbergensis*. The subfamily Archanthropinae was once defined by specimens with developed occipital tori, including the defunct taxon *Pithecanthropus*.

## Paleoecology

In 2012, excavation was denied once more. In 1981, the age was reassessed using electron spin resonance of the calcite encrustation and bone fragments to find an age of 240,000-160,000 years. Poulianos then used stratigraphy and electron spin resonance to deduce another age of 670,000 years. Associated faunal remains may suggest an age of ~350,000 years. In 1987, it was deduced not to by any older than 620,000 years using paleomagnetic and mineral magnetic sedimentary methods. U-series dating of "The Mausoleum" in 1992 found that layer 10 (of which it was discovered) is 160-350,000 years old (minimum referring to the calcite). Stone tools and animal butchering near Athens were announced in 2023 and are 700-280,000 years old and may have been produced by "archaic *Homo sapiens*" (a catch-all grouping that typically includes the Petralona skull as an example).

## References

1. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/2742205
2. ↑ https://books.google.ca/books?vid=ISBN0815304900&newbks=1&redir\_esc=y
3. ↑ https://www.dropbox.com/s/5zfj4n5c2thrhn7/j.1475-4754.1992.tb00483.x.pdf?dl=0
4. ↑ http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/fossils/petralona-1-0
5. ↑ http://www.aee.gr/english/6petrlona/40years/40years.html
6. ↑ http://www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/greek-archaeologist-government-suppressing-truth-destroying-evidence-europeans-evolved-separately
7. ↑ https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.geobios.2010.01.003
8. ↑ https://doi.org/10.1017/S0570608400001769
9. ↑ https://antropogenez.ru/fossil/303/
10. ↑ https://www.visit-halkidiki.gr/portfolio-view/petralona-cave/
11. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tautavel\_Man
12. ↑ http://www.travel-to-halkidiki.com/page.php?page\_id=22
13. ↑ https://doi.org/10.1016/S0047-2484(84)80059-7
14. ↑ https://doi.org/10.1179%2Fjfa.1993.20.3.299
15. ↑ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/evan.21929
16. ↑ https://twitter.com/chrisstringer65/status/1453798953644871685?lang=en
17. ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Archanthropinae
18. ↑ https://doi.org/10.1038%2F292533a0
19. ↑ https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0570608400001769
20. ↑ http://www.britannica.com/topic/Petralona-skull
21. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=ALD0w8LMsnkC&q=Archanthropus+europaeus+petraloniensis&pg=PA215
22. ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230213127
23. ↑ https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/oldest-evidence-of-humans-in-greece-is-700000-years-old-a-quarter-of-a-million-years-older-than-previously-thought