Archaeologists working in the Sierra de Atapuerca, located in the Castilla y León region, Spain, have uncovered a remarkable fossil that is rewriting the history of human settlement in Europe. A facial fragment, found in 2022 at the Sima del Elefante site, has been dated between 1.1 and 1.4 million years old. Their findings, which were recently published, make it the oldest known human face in Western Europe.

The fossil, catalogued as ATE7-1 and nicknamed ‘Pink,’ has been assigned to Homo aff. erectus, a species more primitive than Homo antecessor. The discovery provides valuable insight into early human migration and evolution in Europe.

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What Makes This Discovery Important?

The newly found facial fragment does not match Homo antecessor, a species previously identified in Atapuerca’s Gran Dolina site. Instead, researchers believe it belongs to an earlier and more primitive human species, closely related to Homo erectus. However, since the evidence is not yet conclusive, scientists have classified it as Homo aff. erectus, a term used when a fossil shares traits with a known species but may belong to a different one.

According to Dr. María Martinón-Torres, director of the National Research Centre on Human Evolution (CENIEH), the structure of Pink’s face is more primitive than Homo antecessor. The nasal bones are flatter and less developed, resembling Homo erectus rather than modern humans. This suggests that different human populations may have arrived in Europe much earlier than previously thought.

Life in Atapuerca Over a Million Years Ago

The Sima del Elefante site provides more than just fossils, it also holds evidence of how these early humans lived. Alongside the remains, archaeologists discovered simple stone tools made from quartz and flint. These tools were used to process animal carcasses, as shown by cut marks found on animal bones.

Dr. Xosé Pedro Rodríguez-Álvarez, an expert in stone tools, explains that although the tools are basic, they show that early humans had an effective survival strategy. They were skilled at using the resources in their environment to obtain food.

The landscape at the time was a mix of forests, grasslands, and seasonal water sources. These conditions provided plenty of food and materials for early humans to thrive. According to Dr. Rosa Huguet, a taphonomy specialist, the presence of butchered animal bones confirms that early humans actively hunted or scavenged for meat.

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A Major Milestone in Human Evolution Studies

The discovery of Pink is a significant achievement for the Atapuerca Research Project. It reinforces the importance of Atapuerca as one of the world’s most crucial sites for studying human evolution.

Dr. Marina Mosquera, director of IPHES-CERCA, highlights that the project not only helps scientists understand early human history but also strengthens Spain’s role in global evolutionary research.

Dr. Martinón-Torres adds that advanced technology played a key role in reconstructing and analyzing Pink’s face. Digital tools allowed researchers to examine the fossil in great detail, confirming its differences from previously known species.

What This Means for Our Understanding of Early Humans

This discovery challenges previous ideas about the first humans in Europe. The fact that there were at least two different human species living in Western Europe over a million years ago suggests that human migration to the continent was more complex than once thought.

Dr. Eudald Carbonell, co-director of the Atapuerca Project, believes this supports the idea that Europe was a key region in human evolution.

Dr. José María Bermúdez de Castro, another co-director, sees this as just the beginning. ‘This discovery marks the start of an exciting new period for the Atapuerca Project,’ he says. Researchers expect that further excavations and studies will provide even more information about the earliest human populations in Europe.

A Lasting Impact on Human Evolution Research

The Atapuerca excavations are supported by Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, as well as the regional government of Castilla y León and the Atapuerca Foundation. With continued research, scientists hope to uncover more clues about early human migration and adaptation.

Juan Luis Arsuaga, scientific director of the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos, emphasizes the importance of the find. ‘Although the fossil is incomplete, assigning it to Homo erectus makes sense. However, Homo erectus is a very broad species category. This discovery will help us better understand its variations across different times and regions.’

Explore the Discovery at the Museum of Human Evolution

Visitors to the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos can see similar fossils found in Atapuerca. The museum features a range of artifacts, including a 1.2-million-year-old finger bone and stone tools from the same time period as Pink’s fossil.

This discovery is a major step forward in our understanding of early humans in Europe. With ongoing research and future excavations, Atapuerca continues to be one of the most important sites for uncovering the deep history of our species.

Main image: IPHES/museoevolucionhumana.com