[ad_1]
Archaeologists have recently discovered traces of the first hominin migrations in the Arabian Peninsula of Saudi Arabia after the discovery of 300,000-year-old stone tools left in the swirling sand of the Nefud Desert.
As Ars Technica reports, the discovery shows that some members of the species of the genus known as Homo took leave of the Levant and Africa between 300,000 and 500,000 years ago and ventured into the Arabian Peninsula. According to the evidence, this may not have been a drastic change for these people and their new living environment may have been slightly similar to the one they were used to in Africa. East, at least in terms of climate.
The 300,000-year-old stone tools discovered by archaeologists in Saudi Arabia include a scraper and six flakes of brown chert. Archaeologists have already discovered fossils in the Nefud Desert that seemed to have left their mark, but without any real evidence of tools, it was impossible to tell whether the marks on the fossilized coast had been discovered naturally or had been made by l & # 39; man.
However, with the discovery of ancient stone tools and their radiometric dating, archaeologists have now concluded that there is a population of hominins living in the Arabian Peninsula at least 100,000 years old. before.
Archaeologists uncover 300,000-year-old stone tools in Saudi Arabia https://t.co/GbbFgMiycm
– PaleoAnthropologie + (@Qafzeh) October 30, 2018
Despite the artistic sophistication associated with making these stone tools, which would be expected of Neanderthals or even early modern humans, archaeologists believe that a very ancient species of hominins like Homo erectus would have shaped the 300,000-year-old tools found in the Arabian Peninsula.
Scientists studying climate records at the foot of lakes and in caves have concluded that the Arabian Peninsula was once very wet and temperate, over a period of 2 million years. This would have been extremely helpful for the hominoid populations who live there.
However, the region would have dried up considerably during different climate phases, to the point that species such as Homo erectus would have found impossible living conditions. According to Patrick Roberts of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, it's probably what pushed the homin population to leave, leaving some of their ancient stone tools.
"Between these phases, I think it's clear that the Arabian Peninsula would have looked something like today and that the existence of hominins would have been impossible in most of the world." ; inside. In fact, that is why we end up with fossil assemblages like the ones we have here, presumably the product of a slowing climate and the collapse of local populations. "
Anton Petrus
/
Shutterstock
Knowing that the Arabian Peninsula was once quite hospitable, Roberts would like to learn how green it would have been at the time stone tools were used in Saudi Arabia and think that samples of local lakes could be used. solve this question. once for all.
"In reality, we wish to emphasize that ancient fossil discoveries must be accompanied by detailed environmental information. When we discuss migration, it is probably the most interesting part in terms of studying the challenges and capacities of different populations. "
The new 300,000-year-old stone tool discovery study discovered in the Arabian Peninsula of Saudi Arabia, providing evidence of a population of early hominins, has been published in Nature.
[ad_2]
Source link
