The discovery of the jawbone could help scientists understand human migration patterns and breeding between homo sapiens, hominids, and Neanderthals.
Washington PostThe submaxilla found in Isreal .
scientist have found what isbelievedto be the previous fogy ever uncover outside of Africa .
The dodo , an ancient jawbone found ten year ago in a collapsed cave on the glide of Isreal , is at least 175,000 years previous . For the preceding decade , scientists have been pouring over it , take apart its body structure , and attempting to carbon date it .
Washington PostThe jawbone found in Isreal.
The bone was found in the Misliya Cave on the westerly side of Mount Carmel , where it is believed that the jawbone ’s owner lived . The area around Misliaya has beenexcavatedmultiple times in the past century , but due to the nature of the cave ( and the fact that it was covered by heavy stone slab ) , it was never explored .
Ten yr ago , however , a team was able-bodied to get inside and explore . They discovered that , before its collapse , the cave had been deep . Its proximity to the water , a coastal plain , and forested areas also made it perfect for hominin inhabitancy .
The items found in the cave led scientist to think that the bone belonged to a member of our own species , something that they are positive of after years of report .
Gerhard Weber / University of ViennaThe jawbone found in Israel.
Until now , the oldest human fossils ever regain have all been located in Africa , where Homo sapiens originated . The submaxilla most likely belonged to an early explorer , likely looking for habitable land in nearby areas . The bone still contains eight of its tooth , a rare uncovering for a submaxilla , as the teeth unremarkably fall out .
Though the unmarried submaxilla can not reveal too much about its owner , scientists have been able-bodied to instruct a spot . For illustration , they note that the dentition were characteristically like to modern human being , in that they were straight - border and not digger - mold like those of a Neanderthal .
Gerhard Weber / University of ViennaThe jawbone found in Israel .
Along with the fossil , scientists found stone point that would have been used in an advanced manikin of stone knapping , known as the Levallois technique . The sophisticated method , which involves outlining a fussy form on the stone before cutting it out with a individual blow , suggests that the creator was using abstract thinking , an advanced form of sentiment .
Perhaps the most interesting part of the breakthrough is the timeline that it create as far as human migration is concerned . Due to an analysis of DNA carry from Europeans , Asians , Australians , and Americans , scientists previously believe that humans leave Africa between 60,000 and 75,000 years ago . Now , scientists believe that the timeline could be pushed back .
It also suggest that homo sapiens and other hominid metal money such as Neanderthals overlapped in western Asia , suggesting that there could have been interbreeding .
Though the fossil give up a whole new world of questions , one thing is for sure – there ’s no doubt that the discovery of the bone and the pecker around can assist understand human migration and the success of those who traveled .
Next , watch out Otzi the Iceman , theworld ’s intimately preserve mummy . Then , read about the scientist who believe humansoriginated in Europe , not Africa .
