Brief communication: Two human fossil deciduous molars from the sangiran dome (Java, Indonesia): Outer and inner morphology

Two fossilized human deciduous molars, discovered near the village of Pucung in Indonesia's Sangiran Dome, provide new evidence supporting the presence of Homo erectus in the region during the Early-Middle Pleistocene. These rare specimens—an upper first molar (PCG.1) and a lower second molar (PCG.2)—were analyzed using both external morphological assessment and advanced virtual imaging to examine their internal structure and tissue proportions. Despite challenges in taxonomic discrimination due to similarities with Pongo (orangutans), the study's combined approach of outer and inner morphology confirms their attribution to Homo erectus, expanding the limited Pleistocene dental record from Sangiran. This finding strengthens the case for early human occupation in Java, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its significant paleontological discoveries.

Zanolli, C., Bondioli, L., Mancini, L., Mazurier, A., Widianto, H., & Macchiarelli, R. (2012). Brief communication: Two human fossil deciduous molars from the sangiran dome (Java, Indonesia): Outer and inner morphology. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 147(3), 472–481. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21657