Oldest human ancestor fossil found in northern Spain rewrites Western Europe’s timeline. Archaeologists have found a fragmented skull that is between 1.1 and 1.4 million years old, making it the earliest known petrified human progenitor in the region.
The discovery of fossils
Researchers discovered the Oldest human ancestor fossil, including part of the upper jaw and left cheekbone, at the Sima del Elefante site in the Atapuerca Mountains in 2022. They believe it resembles Homo erectus, an early human species that migrated from Africa to Asia and Europe around two million years ago.
- The discovery of early European human fossils in Georgia, dating back 1.8 million years, highlights their importance in understanding human migration.
- The start of our journey: Even while they might not have built permanent colonies, the fossil indicates that our ancestors may have visited Europe for a short time.
- Atapuerca’s Rich History: This cave complex has yielded key Neanderthal and early Homo sapiens fossils.
What Experts Say
“This fossil is exciting,” said Eric Delson, a paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History. “It’s the first time we have significant remains older than 1 million years in Western Europe.”
Smithsonian paleoanthropologist Rick Potts added that while the fossil confirms early human excursions into Europe, there’s no evidence they persisted long-term.
What’s Next?
Researchers continue to analyze the fossil’s features to understand which early human group it belongs to. As more discoveries emerge, the story of human migration into Europe is being rewritten.
Source: AP News