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Published online 10 March 2008 | Nature 452, 133- (2008) | doi:10.1038/452133a
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Pacific "dwarf" bones cause controversy
Some researchers think the Palau finds are the remains of youngsters.
KOROR, PALAU An anthropologist claims to have identified a number of bones belonging to a new type of small-bodied human in island caves in the South Pacific.
Lee Berger of the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa asserts that the skulls and bones, belonging to 26 individuals that lived between 1,000 and 3,000 years ago, provide new insight into how humans can dwarf in island settings.
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Great article. This just further confirms how much we really have yet to learn about our ancestral past.
This is a very interesting thread. I think the most important rely in see what´s going to happen with de endless debate about Homo floresiensis. It´s a very amazing thread. Alberto Gómez-Castanedo
Palau brain is bigger than that of the brain of Homo floresiensis. While dental formations and the size of pelvis and long bones reflect dwarfism among Palau skeletons. Further studies are needed in Palau skeletal anatomy to establish the phylogeny of Palau finds.
Whether we speak about the Flores or Palau dwarf; they all belong to the same race which ever travelled through the Paficic Isle. Allready in 1896 F.W. Christian (See: http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/volume/rsnz_30/rsnz_30_00_000760.html) noted a grave of the Chokalai (Chitter-People) on the atol of Pohnpei. Legends from the island points to Palau as the origin of the Chokalai. Christian found the grave as stated and even drew a map of it. Since then the site is lost. But his detailed description will make it for professionals easy to find. I travelled to Pohnpei in 1970, but was unable to locate the cemetry. It will enligthen the 'Dwarf' case for sure.
There is a well-informed report by John Roach on this topic posted at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080310-palau-bones.html with more pictures and links. Good video of Palau small-bodied human discovery, too, if you click on "News Videos" at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080310-palau-bones.html Chris Sloan, Senior Editor, National Geographic
There´s an excellent update of the Flores´issue in John Hawks´blog (http://johnhawks.net/weblog/).