text: SBORNÍK NÁRODNÍHO MUZEA V PRAZE A C TA M U S E I N AT I O N A L I S P R A G A E Řada B – Přírodní vědy • sv. 67 • 2011 • čís. 1–2 • s. 3–24 Series B – Historia Naturalis • vol. 67 • 2011 • no. 1–2 • pp. 3–24 A LATE UPPER PALAEOLITHIC SKULL FROM MOČA (THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC) IN THE CONTEXT OF CENTRAL EUROPE ALENA ŠEFČÁKOVÁ Department of Anthropology, Slovak National Museum,Vajanského nábr. 2, P.O. BOX 13, 810 06 Bratislava 16, Slovak Republic, e-mail: [email protected] STANISLAV KATINA Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina M, 842 48 Bratislava, Slovak Republic; School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, University Gardens, G12 8QQ Glasgow, Scottland, UK, e-mail: [email protected] IVAN MIZERA Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G1, e-mail: [email protected] † RUDOLF HALOUZKA State Geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr, Mlynská dolina 1, 817 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic PETER BARTA Dendrochronological laboratory Bratislava, Karloveská 34, P.O. Box 83, 840 00 Bratislava 4; Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, Comenius University, Gondova 2, 818 01 Bratislava, Slovak Republic, e-mail: [email protected] MILAN THURZO Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina B 2, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovak Republic, e-mail: thurzo@ fns.uniba.sk Šefčáková, A., Katina, S., Mizera, I., Halouzka, R., Barta, P., Thurzo, M. (2011): A Late Upper Palaeolithic skull from Moča (the Slovak Republic) in the context of Central Europe. – Acta Mus. Nat. Pragae, Ser. B, Hist. Nat. 67 (1 – 2): 3 – 24. Praha ISSN 0036-5343. Abstract. In April 1990, an excellently preserved cranium was found during gravel extractions from the bottom of the river Danube at Moča, in the Komárno district of southern Slovakia. Neither animal, nor archaeological remains were associated with this find. According to the calibrated 14C date, the individual had lived during the second half of the twelfth millennia cal BC, during the Late Upper Palaeolithic. The geologic-morphological background of this find, combined with absolute dating, made the reconstruction of its approximately primary position possible. The skull's primary fossilization site is presumed to have been somewhere on the periphery of the local Kravany Terrace of the Danube. Both the fossiliferous layer sediments and the skull were later eroded and transported to the flood plain. Regarding the skull, its sex, age, morphology and morphometrics were investigated. The partly fossilised cranium was of an adult female, most probably aged 40 ± 10 years. Her skull has a gracile to moderate construction, with moderately marked muscle relief. The Moča find adds to the small collection of directly dated Late Upper Palaeolithic humans in Central Europe. Measurements of the Moča skull and most of its morphology are mainly within the recent human remains variability; however, it does not basically differ from the Late Upper Palaeolithic sample. Conversely, some of its measurements, e.g. great basion-prosthion length, individualize it. n Human cranium; morphology; adult; southern Slovakia, Danube River, Central Europe Received August 31, 2010 Issued August 2011 Introduction In April 1990, an excellently preserved calvarium (Text-fig.1) was found during gravel extractions from the river bottom of the Danube at Moča, in the Komárno district of southern Slovakia. The partly fossilised skull was excavated by a dredger from the depth of ca 3 m. The site is localized in a small abandoned meander on the river km 1742.3, about 50 m from the riverbank – on the Slovak side of the Danube river. In 1994, the specimen was deposited in the Department of Anthropology, Slovak National Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia. Since the circumstances of the find did not provide any indication of its exact stratigraphy, the skull was dated by 14C accelerator mass spectrometry in 1997 (Šefčáková 1997, Bronk Ramsey and al. 2002). The Moča skull represents the first known find of Late Upper Palaeolithic (LUP) human remains in the territory of Slovakia. 3 Text-fig. 1. Skull from Moča (Komárno district, southern Slovakia): a) anterior view, b) posterior view, c) left lateral view, d) inferior view, e) superior view 4 Among the middle-European fossils, the chronologically nearest to the Moča skull seem to be the specimens from the Czech Republic. Namely, a damaged skull, some vertebrae and fragments of ribs of a female from the Zlatý Kůň cave near Koněprusy in the Czech Karst dated to 12,870 ± ± 70 BP (GrA-13696) (Svoboda and al. 2002, 2003) and the human teeth, Kůlna 7 and 8, from Kůlna cave near Sloup in the Moravian Karst, coming from Epimagdalenian layer 3 (Jelínek 1988, Jelínek and Orvanová 1999). The late Magdalenian perinatal human skeleton from Wilczyce in Poland (12,870 ± 60 BP, OxA-16729) has the same uncalibrated 14C age as the Zlatý Kůň skeleton (Irish and al. 2008). As far as chronology is concerned, the skeleton of a young female from Staré Město (Uherské Hradiště district, the Czech Republic) (Jelínek 1956, 1986) is a somewhat older (second half of Würm3). In addition, there are remains of four individuals from caves near the village of Döbritz (Thuringia, Germany) dated to 10,235 ± 90 BP and the mandible of a child from Ilsenhöhle cave situated under Ranis castle near Weimar in Germany (Vlček 1994). To this group could also be assigned the somewhat older skeletal remains of a male and a female from Oberkassel near Bonn (Gieseler 1971, Henke 1984, 1989, Schmitz 2006). In Europe, there are more than 150 similarly dated individuals, at least 108 of them coming from the territory of France (Gambier 1992). However, only a few of these skulls are as well preserved as the Moča skull. Its condition resembles an older Early Magdalenian skull from Rond-duBarry, Auvergne, France (Heim 1992). Similar uncalibrated 14C dates were yielded by some skulls coming approximately from the same period as the cranium from Moča, for example Bruniquel 24, Chancelade 1, Le Cheix, Le Bichon 1 (Ferembach and al. 1971, Henke 1989), Roc-de-Cave (Bresson 2000) from France, and San Teodoro (Gambier 1995), Ortucchio (Sergi and al. 1971, Henke 1989), Arene Candide 3 – 5 (Gambier 1995) from Italy. Radiocarbon dating The University of Oxford Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art (the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, ORAU) processed the sample taken from the inner side of the right orbit and produced a conventional date OxA-7068: 11,255 ± 80 BP, with a δ13C (PDB) = -21.7 per mil (Bronk Ramsey and al. 2002). This date is uncalibrated in the radiocarbon years BP using the half life of 5568 years. Isotopic fractionation was corrected for using the measured δ13C values quoted (to ± 0.3 per mil relative to VPDB). Taking into account the currently available calibration data set for the northern hemisphere (INTCAL09, Reimer et al. 2009), it is possible to discuss the calendar period in which the individual lived. Calibration of the measured 14C age against INTCAL09 gave a very similar result to one produced by INTCAL04. This is somewhat different from the date range produced by an earlier dataset INTCAL98 (Text-fig. 2). At present, the skull from Moča may be viewed as belonging to 13,262 – 13,092 cal BP (68.2% confidence level) or 13,315 – 12,918 cal BP (95.4% confidence level). However, this result may change in the future with more data entering the debated portion of radiocarbon calibration dataset (cf. Reimer and al. 2004, 2009, Bronk Ramsey and al. 2006, Bondevik and al. 2006, Bronk Ramsey 2010). The Stratigraphy and Geological Context The aim of geological analysis was to detect the primary deposition site and to reconstruct the transport of the fossil to its final location (Text-fig. 3).The analysis was based upon the complex stratigraphy and geologic-morphological setting of the south-eastern part of the Danube Lowlands (Halouzka in Vaškovský and Halouzka 1976, Vaškovský 1982). The calvarium was found in flood-plain clayey-sandy loams and gravels of Holocene alluvia (Text-fig. 3, Nr.1) on the left bank of the Danube. The discovery site is located in the lower part of the river flood-plain zone, in the current floor of a narrow local arm of the river. As for geological context, the skull was evidently not found in its primary deposition site and the flood-plain sands and gravels could not have represented its original fossilization environment. The well-preserved skull with only limited abrasion is indicative of a very short displacement from its primary deposition site. Accordingly, the primary deposition site was sought in a nearby geological formation suitable for fossilization of the skull and chronologically consistent with its 14C date. Such an area is located about 100-150 m upstream from the discovery location, on the periphery of the current Danube bottom terrace (T I) adjacent to the flood plain. The terrace, i.e. the Kravany Terrace of the Danube, is formed by the Würm sandy-gravely alluvia (Text-fig. 3, W2 – W3, i.e. Nr. 6) including the so-called terminal Würm (Text-fig. 3, W3, Nr. 5) with a light-coloured surface area and cover of sandy loams. Preserved remnants of the Kravany Terrace in the MočaŠtúrovo segment also comprise parts of the youngest sedi- Text-fig. 2. Date calibration of skull from Moča (Komárno district, southern Slovakia). 5 ments, namely aeolian and fluvio-aeolian sands of a transient Würm/Holocene to Holocene age (Text-fig. 3, Nr. 3). An analogous terrace at Štúrovo also comprises extensive cover of the youngest (pre-Holocene) alluvia, i.e. fluvial darker-brown clayey loams, the so-called Nana loams, and light-coloured yellowish-brown fine-grained sands (Text-fig. 3, Nr. 4). These layers were subject a detailed lithofacial, geological and morphological study (Halouzka 1973, 1982), Text-fig. 3. Geological map and schematic geological section of the discovery site of the Late Upper Palaeolithic skull from Moča (southern Slovakia). I. – Primary position (?), II. – The discovery site (secondary position), A – B – The schematic geological section of the discovery site 1. H – Fluvial clayey to sandy loams (subordinately humolites) – Holocene; secondary discovery site layer, 2. lm-pH – Loam – peat – Holocene, 3. esWl – Eolian sands – Late Würm (Late glacial of Würm), 4. lm,sWl – Fluvial clayey (to humic) loams or fine sands – Late Würm (Late glacial of Würm); original discovery site layer, now eroded, 4a. fe s-lmWl – Fluvial – aeolian silty sands (calcareous) – Late Würm (Late glacial of Würm), 5. lmW3 – Fluvial loams, sandy loams – final Würm (W3), 5a. sW3 – Fluvial sands – final (?) Würm (?W3), 6. gW2+3 – Fluvial gravels, sandy gravels, sands with gravel – Pleniglacial of Würm (W2+3), 7. lW – Aeolian loess and loess loams – Würm (undivided) 6 which enabled their stratification range to be identified as the Late Würm (its terminal Alleröd and Late Dryas stages). Considering fossilisation of the skull, the loamy layers of fluvial sands (analogous with intercalations in the socalled Štúrovo sands group) or darker clayey loams (analogous with the so-called Nana loams group) (Text-fig. 3, Nr. 4) seem to have been much more favourable than the fluvial and aeolian sandy sediments (Text-fig. 3, Nr. 3). Ultimately, the skull's primary fossilization site is presumed to have been located at the periphery of the Kravany Terrace of the Danube. The fossiliferous sediments and the skull were later eroded and removed to the then just forming flood plain. The sediments were most probably fluvial, analogous in their lithology and stratigraphy to the socalled Nana loams at Štúrovo (Text-fig. 3, Nr. 4). The transport of the skull was brief in space and time. The fossil was displaced from the terrace to the flood-plain zone, a presumed 100-150 m distance downstream most probably due to gravity washover and less intense fluvial transport over the bed of the Danube River tributary. One of the authors (R. H.) remembers the find of a similar skull in 1963 during channel construction at Štúrovo in the so-called Štúrovo sands group; however, this skull has not been offered for examination. Paleobiological comparisons Material and methods Assessment of the Moča skull involved both detailed morphological descriptions of the bones and morphometric comparisons with relevant samples of Late Pleistocene and recent human remains using univariate and bivariate analyses. The Late Upper Palaeolithic (LUP) group consists of associated human remains from European sites including the following specimens: Arene Candide 3, 4, 5; Bruniquel 24, Cap Blanc 1, Döbritz 1, Farincourt 1, Chancelade 1, Kostenki (Zamjatina), Le Bichon 1, Maritza 2, Montgaudier 4, Oberkassel 1, 2; Ortucchio 1, 2; Roc-de-Cave, San Teodoro 1, 2, 3, 5; Staré Město, Veyrier 1, 2, 3; Zlatý kůň. Concerning these fossils, some dating corrections were made (e.g. Jelínek 1986, Ullrich 1992, Ruff, Trinkaus and Holliday 1997, Gambier 1995, Gambier and al. 2000, Orschied 2000, Svoboda and al. 2002). The related metric data came from Henke (1989). The recent sample consists of Early Medieval (9th c. AD) human skulls (18 males, 20 females) from the cemetery at Nitra-Lupka (district of Nitra, Slovakia); the relevant metric data were taken from Thurzo (1969). Some of the craniometrical comparisons were unfortunately limited due to the state of preservation of both the LUP and recent samples. In addition to metric comparisons, non-metric or "epigenetic" traits are coded for on the Moča skull using a subset of the extensive series of such traits detailed in Hauser and De Stefano (1989). Also, given the importance of craniofacial morphology patterning in Later Pleistocene human evolution, Lahr's (1996) scoring grades for several morphological craniofacial traits were used here for comparison. These include cranial vault, supraorbital, infraglabellar, orbitozygomatic and occipital features. The calvarium was studied and measured (in total 54 measurements and seven angles) according to the standard Martin and Saller's craniological techniques (Martin and Saller 1957, Bräuer 1988) using Martin's numbers; in addition a set of seven linear measurements according to Howells (1973) were utilised (Table 1, Table 2). The Moča skull was compared metrically with samples of European Late Upper Palaeolithic and recent humans. The univariate comparisons are based on mean z-scores of skull measurements and indices from the LUP and the recent group (calculated from a pooled sample) and z-scores from the Moča individual (Table 3). Differences were evaluated using the 95% tolerance interval (TI) of the mean z-scores (LUP or recent group), the interval of group mean ± 1. 96 × group standard deviation. The individual Moča measurements could be assessed as not belonging into the particular population, if the Moča values exceeded 95% TI. When the means of the LUP and recent groups are out of the 95% confidence interval of the mean z-scores, their differences are significant. Only those having five or more specimens (n ≥ 5) in each particular group were included. Given the contrasts or the relationship, some of the values have been plotted against each other. Accordingly, bivariate comparisons were made, where the convex hulls represent the limits of variability of the compared sets of measurements representing the LUP and recent group. All computations were performed using the R software package (R Development Core Team 2008). Preservation, morphology and morphometrics The excavated, nearly undamaged calvarium (Text-fig. 1), with very well preserved symmetrical splanchnocranium and neurocranium, has a gracile to moderate construction, with moderate marked muscle relief. The small amount of splanchnocranium damage is limited mainly to both maxillary bones and it is localised below the infraorbital foramina, where some parts of bone are lost. In addition, the superior orbital roofs as well as portions of the orbital floor are damaged, especially on the right side. In anterior view (Text-fig. 1a), there is a slight hint of frontal keeling in the midline which is apparent from an oblique (inferofrontal) view. Although weakly expressed, the keeling is especially evident in the area of the metopion. Approximately 27 mm laterally to the metopion, on both sides there are very weakly expressed frontal eminences. On the left side of the frontal bone, there is a clearly defined (25 mm) frontal sulcus (groove) present, but on the right side, it is only indicated. There is generally a higher incidence of this trait in recent females with a significant preference for the left side. Positive intertrait association was found with respect to the presence of supraorbital and supratrochlear foramen (Hauser and De Stefano 1989). An osteoma is visible on the left side of the frontal bone (Text-fig. 4a). The rest of the frontal suture is preserved in the form of a complicated supranasal suture (the extent of the zig-zag oscillation in the suture is uniform) located between the orbits (length 5 mm) (Text-fig. 4b). In 100 adult male middle Europeans the supranasal suture is expressed in 89 % (Hauser and De Stefano 1989). 7 Table 1. Measurements of the Late Upper Palaeolithic skull from Moča (Slovakia) in mm, angles in degrees, capacity in ccm. Martin and Saller, 1957 Bräuer, 1988 Howells, 1973 Value M1 M 1c g-op m-op GOL Maximum cranial length Metopion-opisthocranion length 179 183 M M M M 1d 3 5 7 n-op g-l n-ba ba-o NOL Nasio-occipital length Glabello-lambda length Basion-nasion length Foramen magnum length 178 177 98 37 M8 M9 M 10 eu-eu ft-ft co-co XCB Maximum cranial breadth Least frontal breadth Maximum frontal breadth 131 96 110 M M M M au-au Biauricular breadth Biauricular breadth Biasterionic breadth Bimastoideal breadth 118 111 104 95 Foramen magnum breadth Basion-bregma height 34 132 11 11b 12 13 M 16 M 17 ast-ast ms-ms fol-fol ba-b M 19a M M M M M 20 23 24 25 26 M 27 M 28 M 29 b.l l.o n-b M 38 M 38 M 38 Lee-Pearson Olivier et al. (1978) average M M M M M 49b 50 51 52 54 M M M M M 55 57 57a 60 61 AUB ASB BBH po-b b-l l-o Welcker I M 46 M 48 M 49a XFB g.op.g po.b.po n.o n.b M 30 M 31 M 38 M 40 M43 M 43(1) M 44 M 44b M 45 BNL MDH MDB M 29g M 29h 8 Measurement definitions ba-pr fmt-fmt fmo-fmo ek-ek zy-zy zm-zm n-pr d-d 511 293 377 127 FRC Parietal sagittal arc Occipital sagittal arc Nasion-bregma chord 132 118 108 SOS GLS Supraorbital projection Glabella projection 6 2 PAC OCC Bregma-lambda chord Lambda-opisthion chord Cranial capacity 117 100 1313 Cranial capacity Cranial capacity Cranial capacity BPL 1140.3 1277.3 1243.5 EKB ZYB Basion-prosthion length Outer biorbital breadth Inner biorbital breadth Biorbital breadth Biorbital breadth Bizygomatic breadth 102 104 97 98 98 123 DKB Bimalar breadth Upper facial height Naso-dacryal chord 98 63 20 Naso-dacryal subtense Anterior interorbital breadth Orbital breadth Orbital height Nasal breadth 10 22 40 29 23 Nasal height Simotic chord Simotic subtense External palate length External palate breadth 48 7 3 49 60 mf-mf mf-ek n-ns 23 25 19 20 100 Horizontal circumference Transverzal arc Total sagittal arc Frontal sagittal arc NDS apt-apt Mastoideal length-left, right Mastoideal width-left, right Auriculo-bregmatic height OBH NLB NLH WNB SIS,SS pr-alv MAB M M M M 62 63 72 73 ol-sta enm-enm n-pr-OAE n-ns-OAE M 74 M 75 ns-pr-OAE n-rhi-OAE M 75(1) M 76a M 77 Internal palatal length Internal palatal breadth Total facial angle Nasal angle 48 38 79 78 77 55 72.-75. SSA fmo-n-fmo M 78 M 80 M 80(1) M 80(2) Zygomaxillary angle 24 133 Naso-malar angle Orbital entrance angle Maxilla dental arch length 139 84 49 External dental arch width 62 39 M 80(3) 26 PAF Bregma-subtense fraction 62 FOL Foramen magnum length 36 ZMB Bimaxillary breadth 97 MLS Malar subtense 18 OBB Orbital breadth, left 40 NPH Nasion-prosthion height 62 The supraorbital region shows a distinct separation of the medial and lateral components. The well-developed superciliary arches are prolonged medially to form a prominent glabella – ST 3 grade (Lahr 1996). The total lengths of this medial component (inclusive of the glabella) for both sides combined are ca. 62 mm. In the subglabellar area, a pair of tubercles occurs bilaterally, next to the supranasal suture (Text-fig. 4b). Pronounced development of the supraorbital torus (ST 5) is clearly an ancestral condition of all archaic hominids, present in most early modern humans (Lahr 1996). During the X-ray examination, a hypoplasia of the right frontal sinus was identified (Text-fig. 5). In both sexes the left sinus predominates over the right in recent populations (Hauser and De Stefano 1989). Among fossil finds, the frontal sinuses are absent e.g. in the skull of the Late Upper Palaeolithic skeleton (adolescent, female?) Roc-de-Cave (Bresson 2000). According to Lahr (1996), small sinuses generally characterise all modern groups, but there is a large variation in size. The low, subrectangular orbits have rounded supraorbital margins with large bilateral medially positioned frontal notches; on the left side there is also a supratrochlear notch. The inferolateral margin of the orbits is relatively rounded, but raised in relation to the floor of the orbit – RO 2 grade (Lahr 1996). This is the most common condition, present in the majority of skulls (Lahr 1996). On the left side, the infraorbital suture running medially to the zygomaxillary suture ends caudally in the form of a small tubercle located above the left infraorbital foramen (Text-fig. 4b); on the right side, there is no tubercle, and the infraorbital suture ends in the partially damaged right infraorbital foramen. The shape of the zygomatico-frontal sutures is bilaterally complicated (Text-fig. 4d), it appears that they consist of sutural bones, but more detailed view reveals that there is a ragged frontal process on the zygomatic bone. The zygo- maxillary (malar) tuberosity, zygomaxillary ridge according to Franciscus and Vlček (2006), is in the form of a small sized tubercle – ZT 2 grade (Lahr 1996). Most Upper Pleistocene fossils have no zygomaxillary tuberosity (ZT 1) or only a slight tubercle on their malar surface ZT 2 (Lahr 1996). On the facial surface of the corpus of the zygomatic bone, bilaterally there are two zygomatico-facial foramina. The postglenoidale tubercle is small. Next to the zygomatico-maxillary suture, there are bilaterally visible moderately expressed zygomaxillary tubercles (Text-fig. 4b). In recent populations, absence of the tubercle is rare and tends to occur more often in females (Hauser and De Stefano 1989). The nasal bones are divergent and the naso-frontal suture is of a step-wise form. The internasal suture meanders irregularly, it starts distinctly on the right side of the naso-frontal suture and in its first third continues with a concavity to the left side, then – approximately at half of its length – it returns to the centre (Text-fig. 4b). The profile of the nasal saddle and roof is in the form of the nasals forming a well-defined curve of moderate size – NS 3 grade (Lahr 1996). This type is the most common condition and is observed in approximately 48 % of the 235 modern crania examined (Lahr 1996). The area between the nasomaxillary suture and inferomedial orbital area is relatively smooth with only weakly expressed furrows. The roughened furrow or slight elevation are frequently found in both immature and mature archaic Homo (Franciscus and Vlček 2006). The lateral margins of the piriform aperture are complete and distinct along its entire length. The lower margin shows a single crest demarcating the internal nasal floor from the subnasoalveolar clivus. Canine fossae are shallow and the subnasal region is markedly undulated. The anterior view reveals conspicuous wavy attrition of teeth (see below). 9 Table 2. Indices of the Late Upper Paleolithic skull from Moča (Slovakia) according to Martin and Saller (1957) and Bräuer (1988). Index Definition Value I1 8: 1 73.2 I2 17 : 1 73.7 I3 17 : 8 100.8 I4 20 : 1 60.9 I5 20 : 8 83.2 I9 17 : 23 25.8 I 11 11 : 24 40.3 I 12 9 : 10 87.3 I 13 9 : 8 73.3 I 14 12 : 8 79.4 I 16 27 : 26 103.9 I 17 28 : 26 92.9 I 18 28 : 27 89.4 I 19 26 : 25 34.0 I 20 27 : 25 35.4 I 21 28 : 25 31.6 I 22 29 : 26 85.0 I 24 30 : 27 88.6 I 25 31 : 28 84.7 I 29 31 : 12 96.2 I 33 16 : 7 91.9 I 37 (1+8+17):3 147.3 I 39 48 : 45 51.2 I 41 46 : 45 79.1 I 42 52 : 51 72.5 I 42(1) 51 : 45 32.5 I 42(2) 52 : 48 46.0 I 46 50 : 44 22.4 I 48 54 : 55 47.9 I 51(1) 54 : 45 18.7 I 54 61 : 60 122.4 I 55 61 : 45 48.8 I 56 60 : 40 48.0 I 58 63 : 62 79.2 I 60 40 : 5 104.1 I 67 80(1) : 80 126.5 I 68 80(2) : 5 39.8 I 69 40 : 1 57.0 I 71 45 : 8 93.9 I 72 9 : 43 92.3 I 73a 9 : 45 78.0 The maximum cranial breadth of the Moča skull is across the parietal bones. Maximum cranial breadth across the temporal bones rather than across the parietals is by far the most common condition in Upper Pleistocene modern fossil crania, but a number of recent skulls have maximum cranial breadth across the temporals, and a few across the supramastoid crests (Lahr 1996). The minimum frontal breadth corresponds to the mean of LUP, but it is greater than the recent group mean; on the other hand, maximum cranial breadth is markedly less than in LUP specimens and also in the recent group (Text-fig. 6a). 10 The minimum frontal breadth, as well as the maximum cranial breadth of the Moča skull lies on the edge of the range for the LUP sample (Text-fig. 7c). Despite the fact that both the orbital breadth and the orbital height of the Moča skull are markedly smaller than in LUP specimens suggests that (Text-fig. 6a), its orbital shape resembles the orbital shape of LUP skulls (Text-fig. 7g). Orbital breadth in the recent group is conspicuously smaller and orbital height is evidently greater than in LUP specimens. The data from the Moča skull lie in the LUP convex hull and close to the recent specimens' convex hull. Overall, the orbits of LUP specimens are wider and lower. The measurements of the Moča piriform aperture do not differ from either the LUP or recent group variability. Its nasal height is a little shorter than the LUP mean, and in the case of the recent group, it is close to the mean. The Moča nasal breadth is less than the means of this measurement in both the LUP and the recent groups (Text-fig. 6a). On the scatter-plot, the Moča lies in the overlapped convex hulls of the LUP and recent groups (Text-fig. 7h). In lateral view (Text-fig. 1c), the profile of the sagittal suture in the area of the bregma is nearly horizontal. In relation to the frontal chord, the frontal bone shows a near vertical frontal inclination with marked projection at the metopion. The glabellar region is markedly projecting, with both a slight supraglabellar inflection and relatively deep infraglabellar notch. The profile of the infraglabellar notch is formed by the prominent glabella and relatively deep, wide nasion angle – IN 3 grade (Lahr 1996). It is similar to the pattern found in all of the Dolní Věstonice and Pavlov individuals, and other Upper Palaeolithic samples (Franciscus and Vlček 2006). The lateral margin of the orbit is posteriorly positioned relative to the nasion which indicates some degree of midfacial projection. The nasal bones protrude and the profile of their lower part is convex. The anterior nasal spine is small. The nasal root is set deep below the markedly developed glabellar region. As to the dakryal index, its value (50.0) is less than the interval typical for Europoid individuals (61.0 – 63.3) and greater than the interval typical for Mongoloid individuals (39.0 – 46.2) (Schwidetzky 1965). On the other hand, the value of the simotic index (42.8) lies at the upper limit of the interval typical for Mongoloid individuals (30.8 – 42.8); an interval between 53.7 – 59.5 units is typical for Europoid individuals (Schwidetzky 1965). However, according to Strouhal's (1974) data, the simotic index of the Moča skull suggests a female individual of Europoid origin – the male values are greater than 43.1. In addition, values of simotic index lower than 34.0 are characteristic for some populations native to Africa (Strouhal 1974). The sphenoparietal suture is wide, the parietals articulate with the large wings of the sphenoid ("H" form). Among human populations, this sphenoparietal type of articulation is the most common (Hauser and De Stefano 1989, Lahr 1996). The zygomatic arches are thick, the marginal tubercles moderate in size (ca 4 mm) (Hauser and de Stefano 1989). Within the recent population, with respect to variation in the marginal tubercles, the most elaborate studies show preponderance in males and mainly a symmetric occurrence, with a preference for the right side in unilateral expression. There appears to be little correlation between the degree of expression of the marginal tubercle and that of the zygomaxillary tubercle (Hauser and de Stefano 1989). The whole area of the zygomatic trigone is inflated and widened but retains a smooth surface – TR 3 grade (Lahr 1969). The anterior portion of the temporal line on the frontal bone is well marked and rugose. On the temporal bone, the temporal line is moderately developed. The mastoid processes are very small – expression is of the 1st grade (Acsá- di and Nemeskéri 1979, Buikstra and Ubelaker 1994), but they are clearly separated from the juxtamastoid eminence, above them there are mildly developed suprameatal crests (Text-fig. 4c) without suprameatal depressions. Within recent population variation, the presence of crest type is highly predominant (Hauser and De Stefano 1989). Small foramina mastoidea are expressed bilaterally in a sutural position. In recent populations, this is also the most frequent situation (Hauser and De Stefano 1989). Text-fig. 4. Skull from Moča (Komárno district, southern Slovakia), details: a) The osteoma on the left side of frontal bone, b) The upper part of the face: the complicated supranasal suture, a pair of tubercles occurring bilaterally next to the supranasal suture, bilateral frontal notches, a small tubercle located above the left infraorbital foramen, the internasal suture, bilaterally visible zygomaxillary tubercles, c) The suprameatal crest, d) The zygomaticofrontal suture and postglenoidale tubercle, e) Os asteriacum on the left side, f) Lesions on the posterior part of the left parietal bone, g) Intensively worn maxillary teeth. 11 Table 3. Mean z-scores of Moča, LUP and recent skull measurements and indices calculated from a pooled sample, Moča excluded (LUP + Recent), [N = n (LUP) + n (Recent)]. Measurements Moča Mean (LUP) n (LUP) Mean (Recent) n (Recent) N M1 M5 -0.503 0.8 19 -0.434 35 54 -0.297 0.146 16 -0.087 27 43 M7 0.022 0.467 11 -0.244 21 32 M8 -0.792 0.284 17 -0.138 35 52 M9 0.226 0.166 22 -0.105 35 57 M 10 -0.828 0.149 19 -0.079 36 55 M 12 -0.623 0.925 11 -0.299 34 45 M 17 -0.153 0.395 18 -0.264 27 45 M 20 -0.103 1.644 6 -0.267 37 43 M 23 -0.047 1.205 5 -0.177 34 39 M 38 -0.526 1.229 5 -0.236 26 31 M 40 1.088 -0.021 13 0.017 16 29 M 45 -0.921 0.62 14 -0.62 14 28 M 48 -0.613 0.133 17 -0.087 26 43 M 51 0.123 0.783 18 -0.504 28 46 M 52 -0.966 -0.373 18 0.231 29 47 M 54 -0.516 0.071 21 -0.071 21 42 M 55 -0.26 0.237 19 -0.166 27 46 I1 -0.339 -0.508 16 0.226 36 52 I2 0.118 0.048 17 -0.028 29 46 I3 0.36 -0.187 16 0.1 30 46 I 13 0.891 -0.142 16 0.063 36 52 I 39 -0.144 -0.239 12 0.168 17 29 I 42 -0.716 -0.683 17 0.4 29 46 I 48 -0.354 -0.268 17 0.228 20 37 Text-fig. 5. Skull from Moča (Komárno district, southern Slovakia), frontal radiograph of skull showing hypoplasia of the right frontal sinus. 12 The asterion region shows bilateral suture ossicles (ossa asteriaca) (Text-fig. 4c). The majority of authors report higher frequencies of ossicles on the asterion in recent males and according to several authors, the formation of ossicles on the asterion shows some correlation with presence of other accessory ossicles in the skull, and especially with the paired forms (Hauser and De Stefano 1989) – but it is not so in our case, because accessory ossicles on other Moča sutures were not found. Given the results of studies of the non-metric traits in the Gravettian population, e.g. from Předmostí, it can be concluded that the Předmostí group shows a statistically greater occurrence of sutural bones in the rear parts of the cranial vault (the sagittal and lambdoid sutures), especially in the area of the lambda point (sagittal ossicles, the ossicle at lambda, lambdoid suture ossicles, ossicles on the asterion) (Velemínský et al. 2008). The occipital bun in the Moča skull is slightly elongated, with a relatively markedly developed external occipital protuberance – 4th grade (Acsádi and Nemeskéri 1979). In the lateral view, both the height and length of the Moča neurocranium are smaller than in the LUP specimens and they are very similar to the recent means (Text-fig. 6a). The relationship between these two variables resembles that in the recent group. On the scatter-plot, the Moča skull lies in the middle of the recent convex hull and on the border of the LUP hull (Text-fig. 7b). A comparison of the lower facial projection at the prosthion and the upper facial projection at the nasion Text-fig. 6a. Z-score profile for Moča skull. Comparison of Moča skull measurements with LUP and recent sample, –1.96 and +1.96: 95% tolerance interval (95% of the LUP and recent variability), 0: LUP and recent sample mean, gray band: 95% confidence interval of mean z-scores. Only those samples having more than n = 5 in the particular group are included. Text-fig. 6b. Z-score profile for Moča skull. Comparison of Moča skull indices with LUP and recent sample, –1.96 and +1.96: 95% tolerance interval (95% of the LUP and recent variability), 0: LUP and recent sample mean, grey band: 95% confidence interval of mean z-scores. Only those samples having more than n = 5 in the particular group are included. (Text-fig. 8a) shows the Moča skull as having a high degree of facial projection, which is mainly caused by a very high value for the basion-prosthion length (Text-fig. 7e). Its value is much greater than the mean in both LUP and recent specimens. On the graph, the Moča sample lies outside the overlapping LUP and recent convex hulls. The basion-prosthion length of the Moča skull is very long but the upper facial height (n-pr) is smaller than the LUP and recent means (Text-fig. 6a). On the scatter-plot showing the upper facial height versus the basion-prosthion length, the Moča cranium lies in the convex hull for the recent population but outside the LUP convex hull (Text-fig. 7f). The Moča skull upper facial height is small relative to the basion-prosthion length thus putting it into the low face range. The waved abrasion of teeth is evident in both the lateral and anterior views. In superior view (Text-fig. 1e), the conspicuously long skull exhibits a pentagonal contour, the zygomatic arches are visible (phenozygia), and parietal tubera are moderately developed. The sagittal keeling is present in superior view, with slight parasagittal depressions that are limited to the anterior sagittal area. According to Franciscus and Vlček (2006), Lahr's sagittal keeling definition was operationalized for the extant Asian population and does not include parasagittal depressions; it therefore differs from Weidenreich´s definition, which was operationalized for Homo erectus. One moderate large parietal foramen (a wire with the diameter of 1 mm enters according to Hauser and De Stefano 1989), is present bilaterally near the sagittal suture on the posterior part of parietal bone. Coronal, sagittal and lambdoidal sutures are very well preserved, detailed scoring results as epigenetic traits are presented in Table 4. The posterior part of the left parietal bone reveals three distinct oval lesions (Text-fig. 4f; 9 x 11 mm, 18 x 14 mm, and 8 x 4 mm). Probably, they were caused by superficial injuries; X-ray examination shows only the damaged externa lamina. Analogous injuries could be found in some Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and/or Neolithic skulls (Newell and al. 1979, Vlček 1991, Teschler-Nicola and Berner 1994, Trinkaus and al. 2006); similarly as in the Moča skull, they could have originated during initiation ceremonies. The maximum cranial length of the Moča skull is less than in LUP specimens but near the mean of the recent group, its maximum cranial width is much less than in LUP specimens and the recent sample also (Text-fig. 6a). On the 13 a b c d Text-fig. 7a,b,c,d. Bivariate scatter-plots of chosen skull measurements of Moča skull, LUP and recent group bounded by convex hulls: a) M1 vs. M8, b) M1 vs. M17, c) M8 vs. M9, d) M8 vs. M17. graph, the Moča sample lies inside the recent group convex hull, but at the limit of the LUP convex hull (Text-fig. 7a). The Moča cranial breadth is small relative to its length, putting it into the dolichocranial range. The relationship between the maximum cranial length and maximum cranial breadth of the Moča skull is similar to that in recent specimens. In inferior view (Text-fig. 1d), there is a deep palatum osseum with strong palatine torus, it covers most of the palate and the elevations are strongly posteriorly developed. With few exceptions, markedly or significantly higher incidences of palatine tori are reported in females rather than in males (Hauser and De Stefano 1989). The transverse palatine suture is straight, symmetric with posteriorly protruding asymmetric convexity (on the right side moderate-sized, 14 on the left side shorter and narrow). Within recent population variation, there is a tendency for females to show a higher incidence of anteriorly deflected variants, and a more frequent occurrence of a straight suture in males (Hauser and De Stefano 1989). The foramen magnum is circular; the dental arch of the maxilla is formed in the shape of a "U". The occipital condyles, without condylar canals, are very small. On the right side, there is a small damaged area in the posterior section of the occipital condyle. The hypoglossal canal is completely bilaterally undivided, precondylar tubercles are absent. All the maxillary permanent teeth are preserved and fully erupted up to the third molars, the teeth are without caries but they are intensively worn down (Text-fig. 4g) which may have been caused by paramastical activities. The e f g h Text-fig. 7e,f,g,h. Bivariate scatter-plots of chosen skull measurements of Moča skull, LUP and recent group bounded by convex hulls: e) M40 vs. M5, f) M40 vs. M48, g) M51 vs. M52, d) M55 vs. M54. incisors are worn up to the neck (complete loss of crown, no enamel remaining; crown surface take on the shape of the roots, 8th stage). On the occlusal surface, the canines have a large dentine area with only a very thin enamel rim (6th stage). The dentine of the premolars is fully exposed, with the enamel rim absent on one side (7th stage). In the first molars, there is only a very thin strip of enamel preserved on one side (score 9). In the second molars, enamel is found on two sides of the quadrant surface (score 7). The occlusal surface of the third molars is flat, with weak dentine exposure (score 5) (Buikstra and Ubelaker 1994). The attrition of the incisors is orientated horizontally, in the case of the canines, the premolars and first molars it slopes lingually, whereas in the second and third molars buccally. Regarding the Gravettians from Dolní Věstonice and Pavlov, they were also affected by intensive dental attrition; their attrition was found to be four to five times higher than that of individuals of the same age in recent population. This indicates much more intensive stress on the dentition during food consumption. In the Dolní Věstonice 16 and Brno 2 crania, there was massive attrition presented in all teeth, and especially in the incisors, where the attrition of crowns and roots is labially oriented. It also suggests some specific activity, probably during skin processing (Vlček 1997). In posterior view (Text-fig. 1b), the contour of the skull forms sagittal keeling with pronounced angling of the parietal bones towards the sagittal suture. It is with the formation of a distinct ridge along the entire sagittal suture – SK 3 grade (Lahr 1996). Only 20.5 % of recent Australian skulls had no sagittal keeling compared to approximately 60 – 85 % in other populations. In the Fueguian-Patagonian crania, as in Australians, the most common condition is keeling of the 15 Table 4. Cranial suture scoring as epigenetic traits for the Moča skull. Maximum sutural shape extension: 1 – absent, 2 – trace (< 1 mm), 3 – small (1 – 3 mm), 4 – moderate (3 – 6 mm), 5 – large (6 – 10 mm), 6 – excessive (> 10 mm); Basic configurations: 1 – simple, 2d – widely dentate, 2l – widely looped, 3d – narrow dentate, 3l – narrow looped; Secondary protrusions: 1 – absent, 2 – weakly expressed, 3 – well expressed, 4 – strongly expressed. According to Hauser and De Stefano (1989), inspirated by Franciscus and Vlček (2006). Suture and Location Coronal (bregmatic) Coronal (complicated) Maximum sutural shape extension 6 The greatest width of the Moča skull is at the level of the temporal squama, the base of the skull is flat. The parietal and temporal squamas are superolaterally inclined. Together with the parietal tubera and the posterior vertex, these form the typical pentagonal configuration that is associated with modern humans (Franciscus and Vlček 2006). The occipital crest is formed as the superior occipital crest (sagittal ridge) – OCR 2 grade (Lahr 1996). The highest nuchal line is strong – markedly protruding. Among a hundred adult male Central Europeans, the highest nuchal line was expressed as "strong" in only four. There is no consistency in a sex differences (Hauser and De Stefano 1989). The occipital torus is formed by the visible supreme and superior nuchal lines and joined medially by the external occipital protuberance – OT 4 (Lahr 1996). The retromastoid processes are expressed only as a trace (protruding from the occipital surface up to 0.5 mm) (Hauser and de Stefano 1989). The mastoid foramina are visible bilaterally. The maximum cranial breadth of the Moča skull is much smaller than in the LUP and recent sample (Text-fig. 6a). The basion-bregma height is smaller than in LUP but similar to that in the recent group. The relationship between these two dimensions in the Moča skull places it inside the LUP and recent populations convex hulls but in the LUP it lies almost at the limit of this hull (Text-fig. 7d). Basic configurations 2l 2 Discussion Criteria Moča Maximum sutural shape extension 1, 3 Basic configurations Secondary protrusions 2d 1, 2 Maximum sutural shape extension 5, 5 Basic configurations Secondary protrusions Coronal (temporal) Maximum sutural shape extension 3 Basic configurations 2d 2 Secondary protrusions Sagittal (bregmatic) Maximum sutural shape extension 3 Basic configurations 2d 2 Secondary protrusions Sagittal (vertex) Secondary protrusions Sagittal (obelic) Maximum sutural shape extension 5 Basic configurations 2l 2 Secondary protrusions Sagittal (lambdic) Maximum sutural shape extension 4 Basic configurations 2l 2 Secondary protrusions Lambdoid (lambdic) Maximum sutural shape extension 4, 5 Basic configurations 2d 2 Secondary protrusions Lambdoid (intermediate) Lambdoid (asteric) 3l 4 Maximum sutural shape extension 4, 5 Basic configurations Secondary protrusions 2d, 3l 2, 4 Maximum sutural shape extension 5, 4 Basic configurations 2d 3 Secondary protrusions vault but this is rarely pronounced. The Mediterranean EpiPalaeolithic (Afalou, Taforalt and Natufian) populations vary in the proportion of cases with some keeling of the parietal bones; however, they lack pronounced sagittal keeling. No cases of pronounced sagittal keeling were observed in the contemporary European samples. The distribution of the three grades of sagittal keeling in the Late Pleistocene hominids shows that sagittal keeling is not an ancestral trait of late African archaic hominids or early modern fossils (Lahr 1996). A weak form of sagittal keeling could be seen, for instance, in the Late Upper Palaeolithic specimen from Staré Město by Uherské Hradiště (the Czech Republic) (Jelínek 1956) and the Gravettian skulls Dolní Věstonice 13 and 15 (Franciscus and Vlček 2006). Pronounced sagittal keeling seems to be a late specialization of modern human populations (Lahr 1996). 16 The morphometric comparison (Table 5, Text-fig. 6a, b) of the LUP and recent groups allows us to state that among the 18 craniological measurements available for comparison, in the case of the LUP group, 16 of them are greater than in the recent group. In the LUP group, the measurement means are significantly greater than in the recent group for M1 (maximum cranial length), M12 (biasterionic breadth), M17 (basionbregma height), M20 (auriculo-bregmatic height), M23 (horizontal circumference), M38 (cranial capacity), M45 (bizygomatic breadth) and M51 (orbital breadth). Non-significantly different are M5 (basion-nasion length), M7 (foramen magnum length), M8 (maximum cranial breadth), M10 (maximum frontal breadth), M40 (basion-prosthion length), M54 (nasal breadth), M55 (nasal height), while M9 (least frontal breadth) is on the limit of significance (Table 5, Text-fig. 6a). In the recent group, the only measurements mean which is significantly greater (Table 5, Text-fig. 6a) than in LUP group is that of M52 (orbital height). From this point of view, the LUP specimens are overall more robust than the specimens in the recent group. The means of the LUP skull indices which are available for comparison with the recent group, have – with the exception of the vertical index (I 2) – lower values (Table 5, Text-fig. 6b); significantly lower is I 42, but not significantly lower are I 1, I 3, I 39 and I 48. Basically, differences between the Moča skull and specimens of the LUP and recent groups are not significant; the Moča measurement variability is similar to the variability in both groups. As to the individual measurements, the Moča skull, in comparison with both the LUP and recent groups, Table 5. Selected craniometrics of the Moča skull, Late Upper Palaeolithic (LUP) and recent skulls [mean ± standard deviation (N)]. The comparative samples include the following LUP specimens: Arene Candide 3, 4, 5; Bruniquel 24, Cap Blanc 1, Doebritz 1, Farincourt 1, Chancelade 1, Kostenki (Zamjatina), Le Bichon 1, Maritza 2, Montgaudier 4, Oberkassel 1, 2; Ortucchio 1, 2; Roc-deCave, San Teodoro 1, 2, 3, 5; Staré Město, Veyrier 1, 2, 3; Zlatý Kůň (data from Henke, 1989). The recent sample consists of Early Medieval (9th c. A.D.) human skulls (18 males, 20 females) from the cemetery at Nitra-Lupka site, district of Nitra, Slovakia (data from Thurzo, 1969). The P-value is from a t-test between LUP and recent samples; * = P < 0.05. Measurement (mm) LUP-Recent Moča LUP specimens Recent specimens 179 190.2 ± 6.7 (19) 179.6 ± 7.3 (35) Basion-nasion length (M 5) 98 100.8 ± 6.2 (16) 99.3 ± 6.5 (27) 0.467 Foramen magnum length (M 7) 37 38.3 ± 2.8 (11) 36.2 ± 2.7 (21) 0.055 Maximum cranial breadth (M 8) 131 137.8 ± 5.1 (17) 135.1 ± 6.7 (35) 0.156 Least frontal breadth (M 9) 96 95.7 ± 4.7 (22) 94.5 ± 4.5 (35) 0.334 Maximum frontal breadth (M 10) 110 116.3 ± 5.0 (19) 114.8 ± 7.0 (36) 0.428 Biasterionic breadth (M 12) 104 113.0 ± 6.1 (11) 105.9 ± 4.6 (34) *0.0001 Basion-bregma height (M 17) 132 136.4 ± 7.5 (18) 131.1 ± 7.8 (27) *0.029 Auriculo-bregmatic height (M 20) 100 122.8 ± 9.6 (6) 107.7 ± 5.3 (37) *0.0001 Horizontal circumference (M 23) 511 533.0 ± 18.0(5) 508.7 ± 15.4 (34) *0.003 Maximum cranial length (M 1) Cranial capacity (M 38) P-value * 0.0001 1277.3 1486.4 ± 122.7 (5) 1274.8 ± 122.9 (26) *0.001 Basion-prosthion length (M 40) 102 94.2 ± 6.8 (13) 94.5 ± 7.4 (16) 0.920 Bizygomatic breadth (M 45) 123 138.4 ± 8.5 (14) 126.0 ± 7.2 (14) *0.0001 Upper facial height (M 48) 63 66.7 ± 4.2 (17) 65.6 ± 5.4 (26) 0.488 Orbital breadth (M 51) 40 42.2 ± 3.2 (18) 37.9 ± 2.2 (28) *0.0001 Orbital height (M 52) 29 30.6 ± 2.6 (18) 32.1 ± 2.5 (29) *0.042 Nasal breadth (M54) 23 24.8 ± 3.4 (21) 24.3 ± 2.7 (21) 0.649 Nasal height (M 55) I 1 (M 8 : M 1) 48 50.2 ± 4.1 (19) 48.4 ± 4.5 (27) 0.181 73.2 75.3 ± 10.7 (16) 76.1 ± 6.2 (36) 0.717 I 2 (M 17 : M 1) 73.7 73.6 ± 8.7 (17) 73.1 ± 3.7 (29) 0.780 I 3 (M 17 : M 8) 100.8 94.2 ±18.6 (16) 97.6 ± 7.7 (30) 0.375 I 13 (M 9 : M 8) 73.3 69.2 ± 3.5 (16) 69.9 ± 3.8 (36) 0.516 I 39 (M 48 : M 45) 51.2 50.4 ± 7.2 (12) 52.7 ± 3.1 (17) 0.241 I 42 (M 52 : M 51) 72.5 71.5 ± 9.6 (17) 85.4 ± 7.0 (29) *0.0001 I 48 (M 54 : M 55) 47.9 48.5 ± 4.2 (17) 51.6 ± 7.3 (20) 0.136 approaches the LUP mean only in the case of M9 (least frontal breadth); its other measurements are lower than in the LUP group. The measurement M40 (basion-prosthion length) seems to be evidently greater than the means of both compared groups but is not significantly so. The Moča skull measurements M1 (maximum cranial length), M5 (basion-nasion length), M17 (basion-bregma height), M20 (auriculo-bregmatic height), M23 (horizontal circumference) and M55 (nasal height) are closer to the recent group mean than the mean of the LUP group. On the other hand, there are some Moča measurements which are lower than in the recent group: M8 (maximum cranial length), M10 (maximum frontal breadth), M12 (biasterionic breadth), M38 (cranial capacity), M45 (bizygomatic breadth), M48 (upper facial height), M52 (orbital height) and M54 (nasal breadth). As to the indices, the Moča skull is characterized by greater means than the means of both the compared groups in the case of I 3 (basion-bregma height: maximum cranial breadth) and I 13 (least frontal breadth: maximum cranial breadth). The value of I 13 suggests a relatively wide forehead in relation to maximum cranial breadth (Text-fig. 6a, b, Text-fig. 7c). Overall, and also according to bivariate comparisons, the Moča skull is typified by a markedly prognathic maxillary part of the face. Its low, wide orbits are analogous to the shape of the LUP orbits and are outside the variability of the recent population. However, all other morphological characteristics are comparable to the recent group variability, only some of them (e.g. relationships between maximum cranial length-maximum cranial breadth, maximum cranial lengthbasion bregma height, maximum cranial breadth-basion bregma height) are at the limit of the LUP variability. In cranial morphology, the rather gracile Moča skull possesses evident development of cranial superstructures, particularly in the supraorbital region. In addition, it exhibits an expressive determination of neurocranial features and strong development of the facial skeleton. The Moča skull is relatively small in its absolute cranial dimensions and some of their proportions. With its gracility, the Moča skull is probably similar to the group of remains from Staré Město in the Czech Republic, Muge in Portugal, or Vasiľevka in the Ukraine. All the remains are characteristically gracile. It is possible that along the Mediterranean and associated river basins, gene flow from the Middle East acceler17 ated a process of gracilisation (already observed to a large extent in the Natufian people of Israel), creating a morphological cline towards northern Europe (Lahr 1996). In general, although most early modern fossils are comparatively large and robust (Lahr and Wright 1996), there seems to be a chronologically decrease in size and robustness whilst maintaining the original levels of variability from early to late Upper Palaeolithic to modern times (Lahr 1996, Larsen 1997). This gracilisation is visible in the overall fossil assemblage (Schwidetzky and al. 1982), while individual Mesolithic sites show more differentiated morphologies (Lahr 1996). The cultural development in the Upper Palaeolithic/Mesolithic transition, accompanied by a remarkable population increase plus climatic and ecological change in the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene period, obviously led to a continuous gradual change in morphological appearance (Henke 1991). The Moča simotic index lies at the upper limit of interval typical for Mongoloid individuals, so its value is not typical for individuals of Europoid origin. According to Gochman (1982), the gracilisation trend is closely connected with another trend – flattening of the face and nose during the Upper Palaeolithic and Neolithic in some European populations, especially in northern and eastern regions of the European territory. From the morphological gestalt, it is evident that the Moča skull principally belongs to recent (Holocene) human populations, and there are few of its characteristics which are not readily observed in the cranial remains of this recent human population. From a morphological point of view, it refers to the sagittal keeling, a pair of tubercles bilaterally next to the supranasal suture in the subglabellar area – the marked, inflated and widened zygomatic trigone. All the permanent maxillar teeth in the Moča skull are preserved but are intensively worn down. The Moča is prognathic but the protruding of its nasal bones is reduced as in the recent European population. Other interesting features of the Moča skull are the series of minor superficial injures to the neurocranial vault. These kinds of injury are known in Gravettian Dolní Věstonice 13, 16 and Pavlov 1. A predominance of skull injuries is unusual among Holocene human populations, but it is common among other Palaeolithic populations. Yet, when associated skeletons are available and not just the isolated craniofacial elements, the head injuries are normally associated with upper limb injuries – taken across the samples as a whole, if not necessarily within individual skeletons (Trinkaus and Svoboda 2006). Our results partially match those in the studies of Lieberman and al. (2002, 2008) and Bruner and al. (2004). As these studies suggest, "anatomically modern" Homo sapiens crania are uniquely characterized by two general structural autapomorphies: facial retraction and neurocranial globularity. According to these authors, morphometric analysis of the ontogeny of these autapomorphies indicates that the changes in development leading to modern human cranial form, originated from the combination of shifts in the cranial base angle, cranial fossae length and breadth, and facial length. However, the cranium from Moča lacks an archaeological context; it provides only a glimpse into the biology and 18 behaviour of this individual living more than ten thousand years ago. From a rather gracile-built human, the Moča skull provides an evolutionary link between the earlier (Magdalenian?) and later (Holocene) populations in Europe. It documents a still incompletely understood mosaic of the lifetime of a late Upper Palaeolithic individual. The assessment of sex Material and Methods Given that the calvarium, like other fossil specimens, differs in certain morphological details from more recent skulls, we decided to use linear discriminant analysis (LDA) for sex determination (Giles and Elliot 1963, Henke 1977, 1989, Uytterschaut 1986, Cunha and Van Vark 1991, Van Vark and Pasveer 1994), considering this statistical method more objective than visual diagnosis. In addition to measurements of the Moča skull (Table 1), LDA used two reference data samples: 1) the 129 fossil specimens (European part of the database aged from adult to senility, dated to Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene) from Henke's dissertation (Henke 1989), 2) Howells's (1996) database of a heterogeneous sample collected from recent individuals of known sex (n = 2524). In Henke's data, certain dating corrections were made based on e.g., Straus (1991), Ruff, Trinkaus and Holliday (1997), Schulting (1999), Churchill and Smith (2000), Henry-Gambier (2002), Svoboda and al. (2002) and Wild and al. (2005). All computations were performed using the R software package (R Development Core Team 2008); the use of the library MASS by Venables and Ripley (2002) is also acknowledged. Results and Discussion Probably the most decisive aspect in sex estimation of the Moča calvarium was the choice of database. While Howells' (1996) recent database offers a sample collection of objects and attributes, Henke's (1989) database of fossil skulls is probably more relevant. However, in Henke's collection (not surprisingly) many measurements are not available. This fact had seriously affected the model selection and the selection of discriminators. To achieve a reasonable number of the complete training specimens, we had to resort to fewer variables, the choice of which was mostly influenced by their availability. Using independent variables-discriminators M1/GOL and M45/ZYB from Henke´s database (n = 129, f = 46, m = 83), we obtained a posterior probability of 0.94 that the Moča skull is female (correct classification = 0.831 for females). Text-figure 8 shows the discriminating line; in fact, the high posterior probability can be verified also visually – the relevant measurements of the Moča skull lie outside the convex hull of Henke's male data. Nearest to the Moča skull are fossil samples from the Mesolithic: females Vlasac (Serbia), Moita 16, Moita 17 (Portugal), Téviec 3 (France), and males Arruda 2 (Portugal) and Téviec 2. Our model is quite consistent with the original recommendations of Henke (1989): M1, M17and M45, which is equivalent to Howells' GOL, BBH, ZYB; and M1, M8, M45 and M52 (Howells' GOL, XCB, ZYB and OBH). The mented as smaller skull dimensions (Text-fig. 8, Text-fig. 9). In spite of the fact that the convex hulls of both males and females in Henke's database are overlapping with the convex hulls of males and females in Howells' database, a number of the females from Howells' data are located outside the overlapping areas of other convex hulls (Text-fig. 9). This finding confirms the emphasized gracility of the female skulls from Howells' data. Finally, we could try to ignore the differences between recent and fossil populations, and assess how the Moča skull could be classified according to the recent criteria (capitalising on the larger training set). The skull is well preserved, so all variables needed in the Howells-based system can be reliably measured. When the LDA was based on the same variable-discriminators M1/GOL and M45/ZYB (n = 2524, f = 1156, m = 1368), but on Howells' database instead, the female posterior probability came up as 0.80 (correct classification = 0.806 for females). Other subsets of variables at times gave slightly worse results, but the posterior probability was in no instance less than 0.60. We noted that the coefficients differ substantially when estimated from recent (i.e., Howells') and fossil (Henke's) data. The difference is caused by an increased gracility of the recent populations, indicated by smaller skull dimensions (Text-fig. 9). Text-fig. 8. Sex estimation of Moča skull (Komárno district, southern Slovakia), linear discriminant analysis using Henke's Late Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic database (n = 129, f = 46, m = 83) with variables M1 (GOL) and M45 (ZYB). As the closest to the Moča skull, the following fossil samples from Mesolithic could be identified: Vlasac, Arruda 2, Moita 16, Moita 17, Téviec 2, Téviec 3. discriminatory value of M8 turned out to be poor and the inclusion of M17 and/or M52 would undesirably downsize the sample. The models considered so far could be compared with the results of Giles and Elliot (1963), Uytterschaut (1986), Cunha and Van Vark (1991), Van Vark and Pasveer (1994), and others. Howells' complete data (1996) indeed offers much more powerful discriminators (Cunha and Van Vark, 1991): ZYB (M45), MDH (M19a), SOS (M29g), PAF, GLS (M29h), FOL, AUB (M11b); however, many of these are rarely preserved in the fossil specimens. The incompatibility of Henke's (1989) and Howells's (1996) measurement systems further complicate the situation; thus some recommendations are simply not applicable to the existing source of fossil data. Nevertheless, our critical assessment of the models recommended in the literature revealed that our simple model performs tolerably well also on Howells'data (Text-fig. 9). Particularly, many authors recommend the ZYB – M45 variable (Giles and Elliot 1963, Henke 1977, 1989, Uytterschaut 1986, Cunha and Van Vark 1991, Van Vark and Pasveer 1994). We would like to emphasize once more that while Howells' data can be used for the selection of discriminators, the particular coefficients would differ substantially between recent and fossil data, and hence should be estimated from the appropriate (Henke's) data set. The difference is caused by an increased gracility of the recent populations docu- Text-fig. 9. Sex estimation of Moča skull (Komárno district, southern Slovakia), linear discriminant analysis using Henke's Late Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic database (n = 129, f = 46, m = 83), as well as according to recent Howells's database (n = 2524, f = 1156, m = 1368) with variables M1 (GOL) and M45 (ZYB). 19 The age at death (marked according to Martin and Saller 1957, Bräuer 1988, Howells 1973), from which M40 (BPL) turned out to be the most powerful. All computations were performed using the R software package (R Development Core Team 2008); the use of the library MASS by Venables and Ripley (2002) is also acknowledged. The age estimation for the studied individual was based on both the endocranial and exocranial suture closure (Acsádi and Nemeskéri 1970, Masset 1982, Meindl and Lovejoy 1985), as well as the dental attrition (Lovejoy 1985). Based on the above mentioned criteria (Tables 6, 7), the age of the female at the time of death has been estimated to be between 30 and 60 years. The individual age estimation lies, with high probability, in the interval 40 ± 10 years. Results and Discussion While comparing the Moča skull with similarly dated individuals, the posterior probabilities were quite inconclusive: 0.53 for "Central-East", 0.38 for "South" and 0.09 for "West" (Text-fig. 10). The Moča skull was located outside the West data group convex hull. Generally, it could be supposed that the Moča skull (Komárno district, southern Slovakia), according to its craniometrical features, comes from an unspecified Central European area with certain Eastern European indications. It appears that the Late Upper Palaeolithic female lived in the territory where her remains were found. Regional affinity Material and methods Despite the fact that the Moča skull was found on the territory of Central Europe, a Central-European origin cannot be taken for granted. For the purpose of resolving the Moča skull's autochthonic or allochthonic origin, we studied its regional affinity. This was again done using LDA (Van Vark 1984, Van Vark and Schaafsma 1992), using the Moča skull's cranial measurements and those of other anthropological finds from the European portion (n = 76) of Henke's (1989) Mesolithic-Upper Palaeolithic database including in the first instance individuals whose dating corresponded to that of the Moča skull. Inspired by Henke (1989), we separated all individuals according to the geographical position of their sites – i.e., longitude and latitude – into three regions: broadly West (n = 9), Central-East (n = 23) and South (n = 44). The selection of the variables for the LDA model, on the basis of published recommendations and discriminatory power (Howells 1973, Sokal and al. 1987, Sokal and Uytterschaut 1987, Henke 1989, 1991), was a heuristic compromise between experiments with the error rate and the capability of the model to produce a representative training sample (not all measurements were equally available from all the specimens). As most suitable discriminatory measurements, we choose M1 (GOL), M5 (BNL), M8 (XCB) and M40 (BPL) Conclusions The gracile Moča calvarium from the river Danube (southern Slovakia), with a high degree of facial projection and strong dental attrition, is dated as 11,255 ± 80 years BP (OxA-7068). According to the calibrated 14C date, the individual lived during the second half of the twelfth millennia cal BC. The skull belonged to a middle-aged female who died at around 40 ± 10 years of age. According to the regional affinity analyses of craniometrical measurements, the Moča skull probably belongs to the autochthonic population. The Moča skull adds some information to the limited series of directly dated Late Upper Palaeolithic humans from Central Europe. Its measurements and most of its morphology are mainly within the recent human remains sample variability. The differences between the Moča skull and the LUP group are also not significant, too. It corresponds Table 6. Estimation of the suture obliteration stages of the Late Upper Palaeolithic Moča skull (Slovakia). Stages (0 – 4) Sutures obliteration (Martin and Saller, 1957) coronal left parts sagittal lambdoidal right left right C3 C2 C1 C1 C2 C3 S1 S2 S3 S4 L3 L2 L1 L1 L2 L3 exocranial 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 endocranial 4 4 3 1 4 4 4 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Table 7. Estimation of the age at death according to the suture obliteration of the Late Upper Palaeolithic Moča skull (Slovakia). Authors Criterion Results Acsádi and Nemeskéri (1970) endocranial sutures 43.7 ± 14.48 Masset (1982) endocranial sutures 46.3 ± 15.00 Lovejoy and Meindl (1985) exocranial sutures - vault 34.7 ± 7.80 Lovejoy and Meindl (1985) exocranial sutures -later.-anter. 41.1 ± 10.00 Lovejoy (1985) dental attrition 45 – 55 Conclusion 20 30 – 60 Text-fig. 10. Regional affinity of the Moča skull (Komárno district, southern Slovakia), linear discriminant analysis using the Henke's Late Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic database (Europe, n = 76) with variables M1 (GOL), M5 (BNL), M8 (XCB), M40 (BPL), W – West Europe, CE – Central-East Europe, S – South Europe. well despite the fact that the LUP and recent groups are significantly different. In addition, as could be expected, some of the Moča measurements (e.g. high basion-prosthion length) individualize it. The primary deposition site of the skull has been estimated to have been in an area, at most, 100 – 150 m upstream from the finding place (1,100 m downstream from the border of the village of Moča). The original site is located on the surface of the recent "low" Danube terrace T I. This terrace (Kravany Danube step) is composed of fluvial sandy Würm (W2 and W3) gravels and a surface planar cover of bright loams and sandy loams (W3). 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The Upper Palaeolithic burial and its settlement context. The Dolní Věstonice Studies, Vol. 4, Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Brno, pp. 53-153. Wild, E. M., Teschler-Nicola, M., Kutschera, W., Steier, P., Trinkaus, E., Wanek, W. (2005): Direct dating of Early Upper Palaeolithic human remains from Mladeč. – Nature, 435: 332-335.


text:
VKare Ultima Duo Stethoscope VKB0002 Grey
VKare Ultima Duo Stethoscope VKB0002 Grey
- Affordable diagnostic tool
- Soft ear tips for ear protection
- High frequency sound transmission
Product Overview
Bremed Digital Thermometer BD 1130
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Rossmax Aneroid Sphygmomanometer GB-102 with steth
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Littmann Master Cardiology Stethoscope-Smoke/Black
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Littmann Master Classic II Stethoscope-Black 2144
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Healthgenie House Hold Glove-medium
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Healthgenie House Hold Glove -large
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- Product Description
Product Description
VKare Ultima Duo Stethoscope VKB0002 Grey
VKare Ultima Duo Stethoscope VKB0002 Grey is a sleek dual head stethoscope, grey in colour. It is a light weight double head chest piece and acoustic valve stem are made of aluminium and brass respectively. The diaphragm side is filled with an ultra thin fiber diaphragm and sealed by the diaphragm retaining ring to produce optimum amplification and high frequency sound transmission of heart and lungs. Both the diaphragm and bell are crowned with a non chill durable PVC diaphragm retaining ring and bell ring to offer higher patient comfort. Lastly, it comprises of hand crafted head set, with soft ear tips which offers the anatomic fir for extended usage comfort.
Accessories :
- Additional two Ear tips
- Two ultra sensitive diaphragms-one for each side.
- Additional Information
Additional Information
Product Type Stethoscope Brand VKare Main Features 1 Affordable diagnostic tool Main Features 2 Soft ear tips for ear protection Main Features 3 High frequency sound transmission
- Product's Review
Customer Reviews
- Okay for general use Review by Panchali Shailendra
Quality Price Value
- Okay for general use Review by Panchali Shailendra
Quality Price Value
- Very useful Review by H.R Sen
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- Recommend it to all Review by Zain
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- Nice Review by Urja
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It only takes a minute to get started. Fill out our simple sign up form and login to the site.
This step is optional but will drastically multiply your chances of getting interest from other over 50s members on the site. Write a few sentences about yourself, your hobbies and upload some good photos of yourself.
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Предлагаю вашему вниманию упражнение на словообразование по мотивом работ над ошибками, допущенными учащимися при подготовке к олимпиадах по английскому языку.
Упражнение на лексику (олимпиадные задания)
Our instructors can provide (guidance) on how to use the equipment. GUIDE
They live in very pleasant (surroundings). SURROUND
He (mistakenly) believed that he was clever enough to fool others. MISTAKE
Illegal hunting is threatening the (survival) of the species. SURVIVE
They used a (rubbery) material to build the model. RUBBER
Wholemeal bread is more (nutritious) than white bread. NUTRITION
Millions of people face (starvation) every day. STARVE
I was a fairly good tennis player in my (youth). YOUNG
Mark is a gentleman of great talents and scientific (acquirements). ACQUIRE
There were four police cars in (pursuit). PURSUE
Our resort areas are typical, but away from mass (tourism). TOUR
Why is it that I find chocolate so (addictive)? ADDICT
The police had (insufficient) evidence to arrest him. SUFFICIENT
He's always coming out with wise old (sayings). SAY
The two (servants) bowed and left the room. SERVE
Yet, in a sense, the (dramatist) was right and the actress wrong. DRAMA
Sophisticated statistical (analysis) was employed to obtain these results. ANALYSE
The committee has asked (various) people for their opinions. VARY
При выделении пробелов, вы можете ознакомиться с ответами.
Первую часть вы найдете тут. Продолжение публикации вы найдете здесь.


text:
ED Magedson – Founder
Ripoff Report
JAKE SECOR7600 NW 21st Street Ocala, Florida USA
JAKE SECOR James JAKE Secor Deadbeat Dad West Palm Beach Florida
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Jame JAKE Secor is a deadbeat dad who moved out of state to dodge paying child support recovery.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 08/08/2013 11:01 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/jake-secor/ocala-florida-34482/jake-secor-james-jake-secor-deadbeat-dad-west-palm-beach-florida-1074165. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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#1 General Comment
You too, huh?
SUBMITTED: Thursday, February 27, 2014POSTED: Thursday, February 27, 2014
He did the same thing to you too, huh? You think he would have learned his lesson with his first child. This guy is scum.
Are you an owner, employee or ex-employee with either negative or positive information about the company or individual, or can you provide "insider information" on this company?
#2 Author of original report
James JAKE Secor deadbeat dad in OCALA, Florida
SUBMITTED: Thursday, August 08, 2013POSTED: Thursday, August 08, 2013
James JAKE Secor is a deadbeat dad who moves without a forwarding address to dodge child support recovery services.
JAKE Secor is now living here:
7600 NW 21st Street
Ocala, FL 34482
352-369-0422 home
561-762-5253 cell
Are you an owner, employee or ex-employee with either negative or positive information about the company or individual, or can you provide "insider information" on this company?
Advertisers above have met our
strict standards for business conduct.


text:
9am: Good morning and welcome to our daily sports news blog. Throughout the day we will update this page with news, links, and what's expected to happen in the hours ahead. Time permitting, we'll try to wade in below the line, answering your questions and comments. JD
10.10am: Andy Murray's run to the final of the Australian Open has enabled him to climb to No3 in the latest ATP world rankings. It means Murray returns to the top three for the first time since October. He replaces Rafael Nadal who has slipped to No4. Roger Federer completes his 268th week as No1.
On deadline day, a few moves have already taken place, including Diomansy Kamara's loan switch to Celtic. Read John Ashdown's rolling blog for the latest deadline day deals. MR
10.25am: OK, morning meeting update:
• As mentioned, you can follow all of transfer deadline day as it happens. We'll have a full list of deals and news of all the key moves.
• We'll have fall-out from the weekend's action, including Manchester United's win at Arsenal. And we'll also have MBM coverage of Sunderland v Stoke City this evening.
• After the unveiling of Team Bridge T-Shirts among the Manchester City team yesterday (not Terry's England team-mates Gareth Barry and Shaun Wright-Phillips), we'll have the latest news regarding John Terry, the England captaincy and any potential schisms the saga may cause.
• We'll also have an eye on any further news in the wake of Nigel Clough's alleged 'assault' on Billy Davies at the weekend.
• We'll have more fall-out from the Australian Open, of which the men's final should now be available for video highlights, in the wake of Roger Federer's win over Andy Murray, plus Serena Williams's 12th grand slam title.
• F1 testing continues with Michael Schumacher back behind the wheel with Mercedes.
• And on the blog: Football Weekly will be here. Post your questions below the line before 11.30am and we'll pass them on to the pod team; our usual European football reports: Sid Lowe from Spain, Paolo Bandini on Italy and Raphael Honigstein on the Bundesliga; five things we learned from the Premier League this weekend; and plenty more besides. JD
11.08am: The biggest move yet of transfer deadline day – which you can keep up-to-date with on our live rolling blog – with the Crystal Palace striker Victor Moses signing for Wigan Athletic. It's a three-and-a-half-year deal, although no fee has been revealed yet. MR
11.40am: Away from the thrill-a-minute transfer deadline day news, in rugby union Leicester Tigers have tied up three players on new contracts. The England players Dan Hipkiss, Louis Deacon and Jordan Crane have all agreed new deals at Welford Road. MR
12.05pm: Manchester United are refusing to let the FA's ban of Rio Ferdinand lie, and will appeal against the four-match suspension meted out to the England defender in the wake of his 'frivolous' appeal against an original three-match ban. Should this appeal also be deemed to be needless, Ferdinand could then miss the Carling Cup final on 28 February. Then again, United didn't miss him too much yesterday ... JD
Raphael Honigstein has filed his Bundesliga blog on the rapid decline of Werder Bremen since December. And while we're here, one of the latest deadline day deals has seen Marcus Bent move to Queens Park Rangers on loan. MR
12.39pm: Less than a week after getting the vote of confidence from his chairman, Mark Cooper has been sacked as the manager of Championship team Peterborough United.
Cooper, who had only been in charge for 13 matches, said last Friday: "I speak to the chairman regularly as well as after every game and he is very supportive. I'm not a man for excuses, but the chairman knows what has been going on here. It's been a difficult time for everyone, but the chairman just tells me to keep working hard and to keep going."
The chairman, Darragh MacAnthony, is now searching for his third manager of the season with Cooper having been brought in from Kettering Town to replace Darren Ferguson. MR
1.16pm: The latest from transfer deadline day - which you can keep up-to-date with by reading Simon Burnton's rolling blog - is that Fulham have signed Nicky Shorey on loan from Aston Villa and Hull City have rejected a £5m bid from Wolverhampton Wanderers for Stephen Hunt. MR
1.34pm: Paolo Bandini has filed his Serie A blog, discussing the misery surrounding Juventus who drew with Lazio at the weekend in the first match under Alberto Zaccheroni. MR
2.25pm: Some late lunchtime reading for you: Sid Lowe's blog on how 'the heel of God' broke Depor's 19-year curse on Real Madrid. And if you want to know what on earth that is, here's the beautiful explanation. JD
3.28pm: Simon Burnton has passed the baton to Barry Glendenning for the final leg of our deadline day blog. There's still very little to report, though Benni McCarthy has completed his move to West Ham from Blackburn. And Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson may or may not be on his way to Manchester City. KM
4.34pm: It's good to see Felipe Massa back behind the wheel - and performing well - at the F1 testing in Valencia. The Ferrari man has upstaged Michael Schumacher's return today, going fastest in both the morning and afternoon sessions. It's the first time Massa has driven a competitive F1 car since his crash at the Hungarian grand prix last year. Elsewhere, today's Fiver is now available for your reading pleasure. KM
5.18pm: The transfer window may have closed, but there's speculation Robbie Keane is hot-footing it up to Glasgow to seal a loan move to Celtic. The transfer deadline in Scotland isn't until midnight, so there's still time for the deal to be completed. Marca meanwhile are reporting that Manchester City have pushed through a €16m deal for Real Madrid's Fernando Gago.
As for the confirmed deals: Sunderland have signed Alan Hutton for the rest of the season, Fulham have rounded off a busy day with the capture of German youngster Christopher Buchtmann from Liverpool and Wigan have wrapped up a loan deal for Bolivia striker Marcelo Moreno from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Want more? Then Barry's your man ... KM
6.21pm: We'll leave the blog open a little later this evening so you can discuss the transfer deals. Adam Johnson has joined Manchester City from Middlesbrough for around £7m, while we'll have more on the Robbie Keane to Celtic story shortly. It's also believed Mido has joined West Ham on loan for a mere £1,000-per-week.
Football Weekly is also now live on the site, with United's dismantling of Arsenal, Togo's ludicrous Africa Cup of Nations ban and (surprise, surprise) John Terry the main topics up for debate. KM
8.30pm: Celtic have just confirmed they have completed the loan signing of Robbie Keane, so it seems a good time to wrap things up on the blog. All of today's transfer stories can be found here (so Gago to City didn't happen, as you've probably figured out). You can also follow Sunderland v Stoke - which is now under way at the Stadium of Light - with our minute-by-minute report. Thanks for your comments today and see you again tomorrow. KM


text:
Whispering Oaks Log Cabin
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