Archaeologists have made an extraordinary discovery off the coast of Java, Indonesia, uncovering fossilized remains of Homo erectus and 36 other vertebrate species from the seabed of the Madura Strait.
This marks the first time fossils have been found beneath the ocean between the Indonesian islands.
The discovery was led by Leiden archaeologist Harold Berghuis, who believes it sheds new light on how Homo erectus lived around 140,000 years ago.
The area where the fossils were found is known as Sundaland, a vast lowland that once connected many of the islands of Southeast Asia during periods of lower sea levels.
According to Berghuis, Sundaland was a rich ecosystem filled with water sources, shellfish, fish, edible plants, and fruit, making it a prime location for Homo erectus to thrive.
Among the fossils were two skull fragments belonging to Homo erectus, which add to the growing understanding of their lifestyle and movement across ancient landscapes.
Previously, fossil evidence suggested that Homo erectus lived mostly in isolation on the island of Java, with well-known sites like Trinil, Sangiran, and Ngandong serving as key archaeological landmarks.
However, the new findings challenge this view, revealing that Homo erectus likely spread across the Sundaland lowlands, following major rivers in search of food and resources. These river valleys provided everything they needed: fresh water, abundant shellfish, fish, and a variety of plants and fruits.
One of the most remarkable discoveries from the site includes evidence of hunting and food consumption.
Fossils of water turtles with cut marks and broken bovid bones indicate that Homo erectus actively hunted large animals and consumed bone marrow—a practice previously unobserved in earlier populations on Java.
Berghuis suggests that this behavior may have been learned from contact with more modern human species living on the Asian mainland, hinting at possible interactions or even genetic exchange between these early human groups.
The research team, comprising specialists from Leiden University in the Netherlands, along with colleagues from Indonesia, Australia, Germany, and Japan, has spent five years studying the site.
Their findings are detailed in four richly illustrated articles, offering a glimpse into the now-submerged world of Sundaland.
The first of these articles was recently published in the journal Quaternary Environments and Humans.
Sundaland itself was once a sprawling lowland during the penultimate glacial period, about 140,000 years ago.
At that time, massive ice caps in the northern hemisphere trapped large amounts of water, causing global sea levels to drop by nearly 100 meters. What are now scattered islands in Indonesia were once mountain ranges within this vast savannah-like landscape.
Elephants, rhinos, hippos, Komodo dragons, and river sharks roamed freely, thriving in an environment that resembled the African savannah of today.
Today, most of Sundaland is submerged beneath the sea, but these recent discoveries are offering a rare window into a lost world.
The fossils are now housed at the Geological Museum in Bandung, Indonesia, which is planning an exhibition to showcase these significant finds.
For archaeologists and historians alike, this discovery not only reshapes our understanding of Homo erectus but also enriches our knowledge of Southeast Asia’s ancient biodiversity.
