The Levantine Neandertalian from Wadi Amud (Palestine)

Abstract

In this paper the author presents an attempt to classify the fossil skull from Wadi Amud using the features collected in Table 2. A new comparative method is applied for the analysis. The index of similarities consists in denoting the similarities of particular figures using a three grade scale A, B, C. The index of similarities is a fraction. The numerator represents the number of identic categories (A, B. C) of two objects, the donominator represents the sum total of identic categories plus the number of discordances multiplied by two. The index of similarities ranges from 100 (total uniformity) to zero (total diversity). As a result of the application of this method the author obtained a dendritic arrangement (fig. 2). The starting point for this arrangement is J. Czekanowski's table of distances (1909). Based on this table we arrange the individuals in this way that we join each individual with the nearest one (Taksonomia wrocławska, 1951). It may be generally stated that Amud Man shows an equal similarity with Neandertalians and with Homo sapiens fossilis.