Saccopastore skulls

Cast of Saccopastore 1 skull at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

The Saccopastore skulls are a pair of fossilized hominid skulls that were found by the Aniene river in Lazio, Italy. They were located in a gravel pit about 2.5 km before the Aniene merges into the Tiber river. The first skull was discovered in 1929, and appears to be that of an adult female. The second was found in 1935 by Professors Breuil and Blanc, and forms part of the face of possibly a 35-year old male. Both specimens appear to be Neanderthal, but display characteristics that differed from classical Neanderthal skulls.[1]

The skulls were originally kept at the Institute of Anthropology of the University of Rome, then under the direction of Professor Sergio Sergi. During World War II he kept them hidden to preserve them from German officers seeking fossil treasures. When Professor Sergi retired as the director, the skulls went into his personal possession. [2]




References

  1. ↑ Sirocko, Frank; Claussen, M.; Sanchez-Goni, M. F. (2007). The Climate of Past Interglacials. Elsevier. ISBN 0-444-52955-1.
  2. ↑ Skulls not ours to keep by Phillip Tobias - Daily News, RSA. October 11, 2005