A new study has revealed that our ancient ancestors, Homo erectus, were capable of living in diverse environments and making different kinds of stone tools. The study, which re-examined a fossil jawbone found in Ethiopia in 1981, shows that Homo erectus had reached the high-altitude regions of the Ethiopian highlands two million years ago, where they used both Oldowan and Acheulean tools.
Garba IV
The fossil jawbone belongs to an infant Homo erectus and is one of the oldest and most complete specimens of this species ever discovered. It was found at Garba IV, part of a complex of prehistoric sites on the Ethiopian highlands, about 2000 meters above sea level. The site also contains hundreds of Oldowan tools, simple stone flakes, and cores for cutting and chopping.
The researchers used advanced imaging techniques to analyze the unerupted teeth inside the jawbone and confirmed that it belonged to Homo erectus. They also dated the site using various methods and found it was around two million years old. This means that Homo erectus had already expanded beyond their original habitats in East Africa and adapted to the colder and thinner air of the highlands.
But that’s not all. The researchers also found evidence of Acheulean tools at a nearby site, which dates to about 1.95 million years ago. Acheulean tools, including handaxes and cleavers, are more complex and sophisticated than Oldowan tools. They are considered a hallmark of human evolution, requiring more planning and skill to produce.
The study suggests that Homo erectus could switch between different tool-making technologies depending on the availability of raw materials and the situation’s needs. It also shows that Homo erectus was a highly adaptable and versatile species, capable of colonizing new territories and facing new challenges.
The study, led by Margherita Mussi from Sapienza University of Rome, was published in Science Advances.
Study abstract:
In Africa, the scarcity of hominin remains found in direct association with stone tools has hindered attempts to link Homo habilis and Homo erectus with particular lithic industries. One critical fossil is an infant mandible discovered in level E at Garba IV (Melka Kunture) on the highlands of Ethiopia and in association with an Oldowan lithic industry. Here we use synchrotron imaging to examine the internal morphology of the unerupted permanent dentition to confirm its identification as Homo erectus. Additionally, we use new palaeomagnetic ages to show that 1) the mandible in level E, 2 million-years old, represents one of the earliest Homo erectus fossils, and 2) that overlying level D, ca. 1.95 million-years old, contains the earliest Acheulean yet discovered.
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Rizwan Choudhury Rizwan is a writer and journalist with a background in Mass Communication Journalism, Public Administration, and Political Science. He has covered subjects, spanning from technology and culture to business and automotive industries. He has written for publication platforms such as Mashable, Pinkvilla, Economic Times Auto, and PTI. In his free time, he enjoys sketching, reading, and exploring music, movies, and comics.
