Thomas Quarry Hominid Cave
Basic information
Sample name: Thomas Quarry Hominid Cave
Sample aka: GH
Reference: J. P. Raynal, F. Z. Sbihi-Alaoui, A. Mohib, M. El Graoui, D. Lefevre, J. P. Texier, D. Geraads, J. J. Hublin, T. Smith, P. Tafforeau, M. Zouak, R. Grun, E. J. Rhodes, S. Eggins, C. Daujeard, P. Fernandes, R. Gallotti, S. Hossini, and A. Queffelec. 2010. Hominid Cave at Thomas Quarry I (Casablanca, Morocco): Recent findings and their context. Quaternary International 223-224:369-382 [ER 3886]
Geography
Country: Morocco
State: Casablanca-Settat
Coordinate: 33.568817° N, -7.696655° W
Coordinate basis: estimated from map
Time interval: Middle Pleistocene
Unit number: 4
Unit order: above to below
Max Ma: 0.501
Min Ma: 0.36
Age basis: OSL
Geography comments: Initial dates of fossil hominids obtained through OSL indicate an age of 470-360 ka for Thomas Quarry GH Strat unit 4
Laser ablation ICP-MS has pushed back the date towards 500 ka
Laser ablation ICP-MS has pushed back the date towards 500 ka
Environment
Lithology: siliciclastic (mixed)
Taphonomic context: carnivore accumulation,cave
Archaeology: stone tools
Habitat comments: "The main part of unit 4 is composed of bioclastic and quartzose sands and are associated to more or less abundant red clays that coat grains or make up small aggregates in packing voids"
Components of lithic assemblage include cores, debris of cores, flakes, small flakes, bifaces, debris, and hammerstones
"Cut marks are still absent from this assemblage despite the association with lithic artefacts, which raises the question of any human role in the bone accumulations"
Components of lithic assemblage include cores, debris of cores, flakes, small flakes, bifaces, debris, and hammerstones
"Cut marks are still absent from this assemblage despite the association with lithic artefacts, which raises the question of any human role in the bone accumulations"
Methods
Life forms: carnivores,primates,rodents,ungulates,marine mammals
Sampling methods: quarry
Sample size: 625 specimens
Sampling comments: Modern controlled excavations have been undertaken since 1988 in lower deposits
"Between 1994 and 2008, new hominid fossils were discovered associated with a lithic assemblage and a rich fauna and micro fauna"
"Bovini" 39
"Hippotragini" 1
"Reduncini" 1
"Alcelaphini" 123
"Between 1994 and 2008, new hominid fossils were discovered associated with a lithic assemblage and a rich fauna and micro fauna"
"Bovini" 39
"Hippotragini" 1
"Reduncini" 1
"Alcelaphini" 123
Metadata
Sample number: 4265
Contributor: Jack Nesbitt
Enterer: Jack Nesbitt
Created: 2023-05-15 12:54:06
Modified: 2023-05-16 00:16:35
Abundance distribution
19 species
8 singletons
total count 625
geometric series index: 37.2
Fisher's α: 3.700
geometric series k: 0.7430
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.7591
Shannon's H: 1.7068
Good's u: 0.9872
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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Register
| Hystrix cristata | 30 | 12 kg |
| Felis cf. lybica | 1 | 4.5 kg carnivore |
| "Felis cf. libyca" | ||
| Panthera sp. | 1 | |
| Hyaena hyaena | 7 | 30 kg carnivore-insectivore |
| Canis sp. | 179 | |
| new "Canis" | ||
| †Ursus bibersoni | 12 | |
| Mellivora capensis | 1 | 7.7 kg carnivore-invertivore |
| Monachus sp. | 1 | |
| †Ceratotherium mauritanicum | 6 | |
| Equus sp. | 4 | |
| Kolpochoerus sp. | 1 | |
| Phacochoerus africanus | 1 | 82 kg grazer-browser |
| †Gazella cf. atlantica | 210 | |
| Homo sp. | 4 | |
| †Theropithecus oswaldi | 3 | |
| Bovini indet. | 39 | |
| Hippotragini indet. | 1 | |
| Reduncini indet. | 1 | |
| Alcelaphini indet. | 123 | |