Discovery of Ancient Human Face Illuminates European Evolution
Researchers have unveiled bone fragments from an ancient cave in Spain that belong to the oldest known human face in Western Europe, suggesting significant insights into human evolution. These fossilized remains—comprising the left cheek and upper jaw—are thought to belong to an adult member of an extinct human species, dating back between 1.1 million and 1.4 million years ago. The findings are particularly intriguing as they indicate that at least two forms of early human inhabited the Iberian Peninsula during the early Pleistocene, a time characterized by humid woodlands rich in wildlife and intersected by rivers and streams.
Dr. Rosa Huguet, of the University of Rovira i Virgili in southern Catalonia, who participated in the excavation of the fossils at the Sima del Elefante Pit within the Elephant Cave near Atapuerca in Burgos, remarks, "This paper introduces a new actor in the story of human evolution in Europe."
Historically, early humans migrated from Africa to Eurasia at least 1.8 million years ago, evidenced by the discovery of five skulls in Dmanisi, Georgia, attributed to Homo erectus—the first early human species to leave the African continent. Prior to this latest discovery, the oldest human remains found in Western Europe were jawbone fragments and teeth believed to be 1.1 to 1.2 million years old, also recovered from Sima del Elefante. Younger human remnants, dating back to about 800,000 years ago, were located at the nearby Gran Dolina Giant Sinkhole, with distinct features that led researchers to classify them as Homo antecessor, or 'pioneer man'.
However, the latest remains—dubbed "Pink" after Pink Floyd's album "The Dark Side of the Moon" (or "La cara oculta de la luna" in Spanish, meaning 'hidden face')—are considered more primitive than Homo antecessor, displaying characteristics reminiscent of Homo erectus. To reflect this close relationship, scientists have provisionally named the species Homo affinis erectus.
Dr. María Martinón-Torres, Director of the National Centre for Research on Human Evolution in Burgos, noted that among Pink's distinctive traits is a flatter nasal structure compared to Homo antecessor, which presents a more modern facial structure and prominent nasal bones similar to Homo sapiens.
Chris Stringer, a research leader in human evolution at the Natural History Museum in London, emphasized the significance of the fossil: "This is a very important find." In related studies, Stringer and his colleagues identified a phase of extreme cooling around 1.1 million years ago that may have prompted early humans to vacate Western Europe, potentially explaining the different population dynamics observed later at Sima del Elefante.
Excavation work at Sima del Elefante paints a vivid picture of a lush landscape more than 1.1 million years ago, adorned with oaks, pines, juniper, and hazel trees. An environment rich in biodiversity supported water voles, deer, bison, and even hippos. In conjunction with the fossils, quartz and flint tools have been unearthed alongside animal bones showing signs of butchering.
A notable feature of the Pink fossil is a groove on a partial crown of a tooth, interpreted as a wear mark from the use of a rudimentary toothpick, further elucidating aspects of the lifestyle of these early humans. Dr. José María Bermúdez de Castro, co-director of the Atapuerca Project, remarked, "This is another step towards understanding the first Europeans. We now know that this first species had an appearance akin to specimens generally classified as Homo erectus, although the remains from Sima del Elefante exhibit a unique combination of characteristics."
As ongoing excavations continue at various contemporary sites, researchers hope to uncover more fossils that will enable them to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the identity and lifestyle of these ancient humans.
Related Sources: