The Dmanisi “old man” (Skull 4, D3444)

Skull 4 (D3444 with mandible D3900) belonged to an aged, nearly toothless individual who had lost almost all his teeth long before death (the bone had healed) and survived for years afterwards. Many read this as early evidence of group care, though the interpretation is debated. Described in 2005 (Nature).

The «Dmanisi old man» (skull D3444 with mandible D3900) is one of the five individuals found here, who lived about 1.77 million years ago.

He lost almost all his teeth long before death — the sockets had healed over with bone — and lived on for several more years, which would have been hard without help from the group in obtaining and processing soft food.

Many therefore see in him the earliest possible evidence of social care among early Homo; others think he could have survived on his own. The find was described in Nature in 2005.