Researchers have discovered the oldest human fossil ever found in Western Europe, nicknamed “Pink,” in a cave in northern Spain. The fragment, between 1.1 million and 1.4 million years old, does not match any previously known human species in the area. The fossil may be related to Homo erectus and could bridge the gap between older human ancestor fossils from the Republic of Georgia and the species Homo antecessor in Western Europe. Pink was found with stone tools and animal bones with butchering marks, suggesting early ancestors inhabited the region and hunted animals for meat.
The discovery offers insight into the timeline of human settlement in Western Europe and the evolution of early humans in the region. The species Pink belonged to may have briefly overlapped with Homo antecessor before potentially being wiped out by a climactic event 1.1 million years ago. The region’s rich fossil record in the Sierra de Atapuerca site indicates multiple waves of human settlement and subsequent population contractions over time.
The geographical location of Atapuerca likely made it an ideal settlement site for early hominins due to ample resources and water availability. The discovery of Pink in a deeper layer than a previously found jawbone suggests that more surprises may still be unearthed at the site. Continued excavation may provide further insights into early human evolution and migration in Europe.
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