A mysterious 300,000-year-old skull found in a Greek cave has been dated by researchers using a new method of analysis. The Petralona fossil, which is distinct from both humans and Neanderthals, was discovered to be part of an ancient human group that lived alongside Neanderthals during the Pleistocene era.
The study, published online August 14 in the Journal of Human Evolution, used uranium-series dating to determine the age of calcite protruding from the skull’s surface. The results revealed that the calcite is at least 277,000 years old and likely formed rapidly, suggesting the skull may be around 300,000 years old.
The fossil is significant because it provides evidence of an ancient human population living in Europe during a time when Neanderthals were present. The Petralona individual is believed to belong to the Homo heidelbergensis group, which is distinct from both humans and Neanderthals.
Researchers used this method of analysis to date the calcite and narrow down previous estimates that ranged from 170,000 to 700,000 years old. The new findings support earlier suggestions that the Petralona individual lived in Europe alongside Neanderthals during a time of significant human evolution.
The study’s lead author, Chris Stringer, noted that the fossil is likely male and belonged to a young adult based on its size and tooth wear. The discovery of this ancient skull provides new insights into human evolution and sheds light on a previously unknown human group.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/human-evolution/mysterious-300-000-year-old-greek-cave-skull-was-neither-human-nor-neanderthal-study-finds