Palmar, Patellar, and Pedal Human Remains from Pavlov

Abstract

Excavations in the 1960s in the central area of the Pavlov I site (southern Moravia, Czech Republic) produced a rich early (Pavlovian) Mid Upper Paleolithic (MUP) archeological record, abundant faunal remains, and thirty-nine human remains. The last, recently identified from the faunal collections, consist of two patellae (Pavlov 34 and 35), a partial second metacarpal (Pavlov 36), and two pairs of partial pedal skeletons (Pavlov 37 and 38). As such, they join the isolated and associated human remains from Pavlov I Northwest and Southeast, as well as those from the neighboring sites of Dolní Věstonice I and II. Pavlov 36 is an unremarkable and average sized metacarpal. Pavlov 34 and 35, which may be a pair, are among the largest known for the Upper Paleolithic and are relatively thick; Pavlov 34 has strongly asymmetrical femoral facets. The Pavlov 37 paired tarsometatarsal skeletons (22 elements) are from the longest known Paleolithic feet, indicating a stature among the tallest MUP individuals; Pavlov 38 (14 elements) is of average MUP size. The pedal remains are notable for their relatively long talar necks, gracile meta-tarsals, and (for Pavlov 37) large naviculocuboid facets. Together these remains provide additional data on Mid Upper Paleolithic human appendicular variation.