Geological and taphonomic context for the new hominin species Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa.
We describe the physical context of the Dinaledi Chamber within the Rising Star cave, South Africa, which contains the fossils of Homo naledi. Approximately 1550 specimens of hominin remains have been recovered from at least 15 individuals, representing a small portion of the total fossil content. Macro-vertebrate fossils are exclusively H. naledi, and occur within clay-rich sediments derived from in situ weathering, and exogenous clay and silt, which entered the chamber through fractures that prevented passage of coarser-grained material. The chamber was always in the dark zone, and not accessible to non-hominins. Bone taphonomy indicates that hominin individuals reached the chamber complete, with disarticulation occurring during/after deposition. Hominins accumulated over time as older laminated mudstone units and sediment along the cave floor were eroded. Preliminary evidence is consistent with deliberate body disposal in a single location, by a hominin species other than Homo sapiens, at an as-yet unknown date.
Department of Earth and Oceans, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
Paul H G M
PH
Dirks
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Lee R
LR
Berger
Department of Earth and Oceans, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
Eric M
EM
Roberts
Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Jan D
JD
Kramers
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
John
J
Hawks
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Patrick S
PS
Randolph-Quinney
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Marina
M
Elliott
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Charles M
CM
Musiba
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Steven E
SE
Churchill
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Darryl J
DJ
de Ruiter
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Peter
P
Schmid
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Lucinda R
LR
Backwell
Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Georgy A
GA
Belyanin
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Pedro
P
Boshoff
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
K Lindsay
KL
Hunter
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Elen M
EM
Feuerriegel
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Alia
A
Gurtov
School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
James du G
Jdu G
Harrison
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Rick
R
Hunter
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Ashley
A
Kruger
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Hannah
H
Morris
Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Tebogo V
TV
Makhubela
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Becca
B
Peixotto
Evolutionary Studies Institute, National Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Steven
S
Tucker
D000818:Animals; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D005580:Fossils; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D015186:Hominidae / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D013019:South Africa
Dinaledi Chamber; Homo naledi; evolutionary biology; genomics; hominin; paleoanthropology; taphonomy