Rewriting history: 210,000-year-old skull found in Greece identified as ‘oldest human fossil’ outside Africa
- Discovery suggests mankind may have arrived in Europe more than 150,000 years earlier than scientists previously estimated
- Findings support idea that Homo sapiens made several, sometimes unsuccessful migrations from Africa over tens of thousands of years
A 210,000-year-old skull has been identified as the earliest modern human fossil found outside Africa, putting the clock back on mankind’s arrival in Europe by more than 150,000 years, researchers said Wednesday.
In a startling discovery that changes our understanding of how modern man populated Eurasia, the findings support the idea that Homo sapiens made several, sometimes unsuccessful migrations from Africa over tens of thousands of years.
Southeast Europe has long been considered a major transport corridor for modern humans from Africa. But until now the earliest evidence of Homo sapiens on the continent dated back only around 50,000 years.
There have, however, been a number of discoveries indicating the ancient presence of Neanderthals – an early human cousin – across the continent.
Two fossilised but badly damaged skulls unearthed in a Greek cave in the 1970s were identified as Neanderthal at the time.