In 2022, a team of researchers made a groundbreaking discovery at a Spanish cave. Archaeology graduate student Edgar Téllez uncovered a mud-covered facial bone with tooth roots intact, which led to the identification of one of the earliest human fossils in Western Europe.
The fossil, dated between 1.1 and 1.4 million years old, represents the earliest human face found in the region. Its unique features, including a primitive nose and two worn teeth, suggest that it belongs to Homo erectus or its close relative.
The discovery confirms that this ancient human ancestor inhabited Western Europe, contradicting the long-held assumption that humans only arrived there after 800,000 years ago. The fossil also shows differences from other known H. erectus fossils in Asia and Africa, supporting the theory of multiple early human species.
Paleoanthropologists believe that Homo erectus or its close relative likely made tools used by modern humans and followed them into Europe during a period when glaciers retreated. Further research is needed to determine where H. antecessor evolved, but the discovery provides significant insight into human evolution in Europe.
The face fossil has been hailed as a long-sought piece of evidence that sheds light on ancient human migration patterns and their impact on European human evolution.
Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/fossil-face-found-in-spanish-cave-belongs-first-known-western-european