Archaeologists have discovered facial bones of the earliest human ancestor to walk in western Europe, dating back around 1.2 and 1.4 million years ago. The remains, nicknamed “Pink,” were found at a cave site in northern Spain’s Atapuerca Mountains. Initially believed to belong to Homo antecessor, researchers later determined that they belonged to an even more primitive hominin species, tentatively classified as Homo affinis erectus. This discovery represents a major step towards understanding human settlement in Europe.
The facial bones show a distinct difference from Homo antecessor, which had a modern-like face. In contrast, “Pink” has a projecting forward face similar to other Homo erectus specimens. Excavations at the site also uncovered stone tools and animal bones with cutmarks, indicating that this ancient species had advanced lithic technology.
The discovery of “Pink’s” face is significant as it sheds light on human evolution in Europe. Researchers believe that this new find will aid in further understanding of how humans settled in the region. Further analysis of the remains can be found in a scholarly article published in Nature.
Source: https://archaeology.org/news/2025/03/20/researchers-reconstruct-western-europes-oldest-human-face