The hierarchy of verification types introduced by JSR 202 and illustrated in JVMS7 4.10.1.2 places "Object" under "reference" and above "Java class hierarchy". This implies that either a) there is a special type Object which is separate from java.lang.Object, or b) "Object" is really java.lang.Object but depicted for some reason outside the Java class hierarchy.

The truth is (b), because the only time Object is mentioned in the rest of the verifier specification is in the context of class('java/lang/Object', BL). The documentation for the KVM verifier also clarifies matters: it does not show "Object", but rather places "java.lang.Object" under "reference", and then depicts both "array" and "Java class hierarchy" under "java.lang.Object".

The stray "Object" in JVMS7 4.10.1.2 should be removed as it is confusing and moreover is technically wrong.