Scientists found Homo erectus 200,000 years earlier than expected
New fossils from South Africa are reshaping the story of early human evolution. Researchers have described 18 hominin fossils from Drimolen Cave, including an adult Homo erectus skull fragment dated to about 2 million years ago, supporting evidence that the species appeared in southern Africa roughly 200,000 years earlier than long thought. The finds also reveal that Paranthropus robustus, which lived alongside Homo…
Key points
- Archaeologists from La Trobe University described 18 hominin fossils from South Africa, including a second Homo erectus skull fragment.
- The fossils indicate Homo erectus was present in southern Africa 2.0 million years ago, about 200,000 years earlier than previously believed.
- The collection also includes P. robustus remains showing gradual evolutionary changes over 200,000 years.
Archaeologists from La Trobe University have described 18 newly published hominin fossils from South Africa, including a second skull fragment belonging to Homo erectus. The discovery adds stronger evidence that the species was present in southern Africa 2.0 million years ago, about 200,000 years earlier than traditionally believed.
The fossils come from Drimolen Main Quarry in South Africa's 'Cradle of Humankind.' Although the quarry was discovered in 1992 and excavated through 2019, many recovered fossils had never been formally described.
New Homo erectus fossil
Researchers from La Trobe, working with colleagues in South Africa and the United States, analyzed and described another 18 fossils from the site. The remains have been assigned to Homo erectus and P. robustus.
In research published in Annals of Human Biology, the team reports the first known adult Homo erectus fossil from Drimolen. The specimen is about 2 million years old, making it roughly 200,000 years older than adult Homo erectus fossils discovered elsewhere, including specimens from Dmanisi in Georgia that date to about 1.8 million years ago.
This paper publishes a new adult fossil attributed to Homo erectus, DNH 127, providing further confirmation that this species first appeared in southern Africa 2 million years ago.
— Dr. Jesse Martin
Contrasting evolutionary paths
The newly described fossils also provide evidence that P. robustus changed over time. Between about 2 million and 1.8 million years ago, the species developed larger teeth and more powerful chewing muscles.
According to Dr. Martin, the contrast with Homo erectus is striking. While Homo erectus was developing a larger brain and smaller molar teeth, possibly as a result of eating more meat, P. robustus retained a brain only slightly larger than that of chimpanzees and evolved enormous molars suited to grinding and crushing tough, hard foods.
