Dali Man

The Dali Man is the name scientists use for a very old and almost complete fossil skull of an early human. This skull dates back to a time called the Middle Pleistocene, a period millions of years ago. It was found in 1978 by a person named Liu Shuntang in Dali County, in the Shaanxi Province of China.

Figuring out exactly how old the Dali Man skull is has been tricky. One method used on animal teeth found near the skull suggested it was about 209,000 years old, but scientists aren't sure if the skull is from exactly the same time. More recent studies in 2017 estimated the skull to be around 260,000 years old. This makes the Dali Man one of the most complete early human skulls ever found in China.

Because this fossil is so valuable for learning about our ancestors, it is kept in a special research institute in Beijing, China. Not many people get to see it, but it helps scientists understand what early humans looked like and how they lived long ago.

Characteristics of the skull

The Dali cranium is a very old skull that scientists think may be an early example of ancient humans. It shows a mix of features from earlier human types and modern humans, but it looks different from the skulls of Neanderthals found in Europe.

The skull is low and long with a rounded back, and it has a thick ridge along the top, which is a feature seen in older human ancestors. Its brain size was smaller than most modern humans. The face has strong brow ridges that curve over the eyes, unlike the straight ridges seen in other ancient skulls. The cheekbones are thin, and the nose area is flat.

Taxonomy

In March 1978, a nearly complete skull of an ancient human was found by a geologist named Liu Shuntang in Dali County, Shaanxi, China. Scientists described it as a link between earlier humans, like Homo erectus, and later humans, including Neanderthals and modern humans.

Later studies suggested this skull might belong to a group known as Denisovans, based on DNA findings from Siberia. However, we cannot be certain because Denisovans are only known from DNA, not from skull features. Some scientists have proposed different names for this skull, but its exact classification remains debated among researchers.

Other possible Dali-type finds

Scientists have found several other ancient human skulls that might be related to the Dali Man. One is the Maba Man, a partial skull from Guangdong, China, that lived between 120,000 and 140,000 years ago. It has similar forehead features to the Dali skull. Another find is from Jinniushan in China, which includes a partial skeleton with a very strong skull top but a less strong base.

There is also the Narmada skull from India, which is a single strong skull piece. Additionally, the Denisova hominin, first found from a finger bone in Russia and later a jaw piece in China, might be connected to the Dali people. Studies of their DNA suggest these ancient humans could be closely related to Neanderthals and an early group of humans known as erectus.