Bone fragments of oldest known human face in western Europe found in Spain | Archaeology

Bone fragments were discovered in an old cave in Spain to the oldest known human face in Gharbia EuropeThe researchers say.

The duties remains the left cheek and the upper jaw for an extinct human adult member who lived and died on the Iberian Peninsula between 1.1 million and 1.4 million years.

This discovery indicates that at least forms of humans early occupied the area in early Peslistine, when the cave sat inside the wild -rich wild life and crossed it with rivers and tables.

“This paper introduces a new representative in the story of human development in Europe,” said Dr. Rosa Huguet of the First University of Rovira in Velonia, near Ataburaka, Burgus.

The first people arrived in Eurasia from Africa at least 1.8 million years ago, as shown Five skulls Dating from the period in Dmanisi in Georgia. The skulls are attributed to Homo Erectus, the first early human type that has left the African continent.

Until now, the oldest human remains in Western Europe were from 1.1 meters to 1.2 meters in the age of 1.2 meters Jaw and teeth From Sima Del Elvante. The remains of the younger personWhich dates back to 800,000 years, was discovered in the near Gran Dolina Cave. Special features of the last researchers have considered a distinct kind, Rabun Homo, or a pioneering man.

Writing in the magazine natureThe Spanish team says that the last remnants of the Homo link, but it is similar to Homo Erectus. Looking at the uncertainty about the identity of Al -Ahfour, the team set the erecting species, which reflects its close relationship with the older person.

The Latin name is not the only one used for the remains. Unofficially, the researchers called “Pink” fossil after Pink Floyd, whose album translates The Dark Side of the Moon into “La Cara Oculta de la Luna”, where it means “CARALTA” “Hidden Face”.

Dr. Maria Martinon Torres, Director of the National Center for Human Research development In Borgos, among its distinctive characteristics, Pink was the structure of the nose from the Hocomo Association, which shares the most exciting face and prominent nasal bones in the rational Homo.

Chris Strenger, the leader of the human development research at the Natural History Museum in London, said Al -Ahfouri was “a very important discovery.” In 2023, Stinger and others were identified Severe cooling period About 1.1 million years ago, I may have taken out people early from Western Europe, and perhaps explained the various populations in Sima Del Elefante after that.

Excavations in Sima Del Elefante have a picture of lush meadows and forests for more than 1.1 million years with oak trees, pine, sweat and hazelnuts abundantly. Drawing rivers that pass through the landscape mice of water and mice, river mares, peason and deer. The quartz and Flent tools were also recovered, along with the bones of animals that bear cut signs of butcher.

More insight is evident about the SIMA Del Elefante lifestyle from the groove that extends across the partial crown of the age in pink fossil, and is believed to be a sign of the use of primitive toothpicks.

“This is another step towards understanding the first Europeans,” said Dr. Jose Maria Berdida de Castro, co -director of the Atapuerca project. “Now we know that this first type had an appearance that reminds us of the samples that many have been included in Homo Erectus. However, the SIMA Del Elefante site has a very special set of features. More fossils must be found in other contemporary sites to reach a more powerful conclusion about the identity of this type.”