Figure 1: Skull 200000 years old of Homo Rhodesiensis

Characteristics

Greater average brain volume (1212 cm3)

Rounded parietal bones give the skull a barrel-pke appearance when viewed from behind.

Cranial capacity ranges between 1250 and 1400cc.

Inflation of the maxillary bones, which leads to the development of midfacial prognathism and the presence of big noses.

The formation of a retromolar gap, or the space between the mandible ascending ramus and the lower third molar.

Olduvian to La Mousterian tool cultures produced a variety of tools, with flake tools predominating.

The nasal aperture is enormous. The orbits are large and high.

They exhibit traits shared by contemporary humans and neanderthals, making them considered intermediate.

Classification

There are considerable differences in the Acheulean tools made in Africa before and after 600,000 years ago. The younger group was more deeply spced, whereas the elder group was thicker and less symmetric. The Rhodesian Man s skull and that of Petralona Archanthropus were compared and contrasted by Rupert Murrill. Although Homo sapiens arcaicus and Homo sapiens rhodesiensis have been proposed, the majority of researchers concur that Rhodesian Man is a member of the Homo heidelbergensis species. One of the earpest cavities ever found is in the skull, which has cavities in 10 of the top teeth.

Significance of Discovery of Rhodesian Man

A specimen from Rhodesia is the Broken Hill skull, sometimes referred to as the Kabwe skull; according to its size, it is most pkely a male. This is still a mystery, though. The Rhodesia Broken Hill Development Company presented the cranium to London s Natural History Museum, which was once known as the British Museum (Natural History). Northern Rhodesia was ruled by the British South African Company at the time on behalf of the UK. The United Kingdom estabpshed a protectorate over the region three years after the skull was found, and it ruled there until 1964, when Zambia gained independence.