Human: Phylogeny

50,000 YA. Homo neanderthalensis. The hyoid was constructed using an original cast from Kebara 2 by Anthropologist Gary J. Sawyer, of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), and Anthropologist Blaine C. Maley. The hyoid, a horseshoe-shaped bone, is unique in that it is the only bone not articulated to any other bone of the skeleton, instead being connected to the skull by ligaments and muscles. The hyoid is implicated in the evolution of speech development. It is part of the Neanderthal Skeleton SC-019, which was featured in the AMNH January, 2003 exhibit "The First Europeans: Treasures from the Hills of Atapuerca."
2" L x 1 ½" W / 5.1 cm x 3.8 cm

The full skeleton and all individual postcranial bones are also available.