As an Archaeologist, a Colleague Asks You to Confirm Her

question 21

Multiple Choice

As an archaeologist, a colleague asks you to confirm her identification of some fossilized burial remains of a hominin. The fossils were discovered relatively undisturbed, deep in a cave where the body was protected from scavengers. The hands of the skeleton were deliberately folded across the chest and a crude flute was clasped between the hands. The skull had a greatly reduced brow ridge and a flat face. Charcoal remains near the entrance of the cave included charred bones of a large game animal that date to approximately the same time as the skeleton; the bones were clearly scored by a tool. As which species of hominin would you identify the remains?

• A) Homo sapiens
• B) Homo neanderthalensis
• C) Homo floresiensis
• D) Homo naledi

---

Definitions:

Underground Machines

No definitive context, but likely refers to equipment used for underground operations such as mining or tunnel construction.

Oil Shale

A fine-grained sedimentary rock containing organic materials that can be processed to produce shale oil, a type of unconventional oil.

Rocky Mountains

A major mountain range in western North America, extending from Canada through the United States.

Sulfur Dioxide

A toxic gas with a sharp, irritating smell, commonly produced by volcanic activity and industrial processes.