Cro Magnon

Cro-Magnon (  /kroʊˈmænjən/ or US pronunciation: pron.: /kroʊˈmæɡnən/; French [kʁomaɲɔ̃]) is an informal name for the first early modern humans (early Homo sapiens sapiens) of the European Upper Paleolithic.[1 ] Current scientific literature prefers the term European Early Modern Humans (EEMH), to the term 'Cro-Magnon' which has no formal taxonomic status, as it refers neither to a species or subspecies nor to an archaeological phase or culture.[1 ] The earliest known remains of Cro-Magnon-like humans are radiocarbon dated to 43,000 years before present.[2 ]

Cro-Magnons were robustly built and powerful. The body was generally heavy and solid with a strong musculature. The forehead was fairly straight rather than sloping like in Neanderthals, and with only slight browridges. The face was short and wide. Like other modern humans, Cro-Magnons had a prominent chin. The brain capacity was about 1,600 cubic centimetres (98 cu in), larger than the average for modern humans.[3 ] However recent research suggests that the physical dimensions of so-called "Cro-Magnon" are not sufficiently different from modern humans to warrant a separate designation.[4 ] [5 ]