A fossil of an early Homo sapiens has given scientists a rare glimpse into life more than 90,000 years ago.
The ancient skeleton shows evidence of a serious jaw injury that healed before the person died, suggesting they survived the wound and may even have received care from others.
The discovery also adds to growing evidence that early humans practiced deliberate burials.
The findings come from a new study published in Scientific Reports.
Researchers from Spain’s National Center for Research on Human Evolution (CENIEH) worked with scientists from Tel Aviv University to study a fossil known as Qafzeh 25.
The remains were found in Qafzeh Cave in present-day Israel and are estimated to be between 92,000 and 145,000 years old.
To examine the fossil, the research team used several modern techniques, including high-resolution micro-computed tomography, also known as microCT. This type of scan allows scientists to look inside bones and teeth without damaging them.
The researchers discovered a narrow cut-like injury on the lower jaw and one of the lower premolar teeth. The shape and location of the wound suggest that it was caused by a sharp object rather than by natural wear or disease.
The bone showed clear signs of healing, meaning the person survived for some time after being injured. Scientists cannot say exactly what caused the wound. It may have been the result of an accident, but they believe it is more likely to have been caused during a violent encounter with another person.
If this is true, the injury would represent one of the very few known examples of possible sharp-force violence from the Middle Paleolithic period, making it an important discovery in the study of early human behavior.
The research also revealed new information about the individual’s dental health. Using microCT scans, the scientists found a hidden cavity in one of the lower premolars that could not be seen from the outside. They also discovered defects in the tooth enamel, which may provide clues about the person’s health, diet or stressful events during childhood.
These dental findings help researchers better understand the daily lives and physical health of some of the earliest modern humans living outside Africa.
The team also carefully studied what happened to the skeleton after death. They found no evidence that wild animals had damaged the body or that it had been left exposed for a long time. Instead, the position and condition of the bones strongly suggest that the person was deliberately buried.
This supports earlier evidence that Qafzeh Cave is one of the oldest known sites where modern humans buried their dead. Such burials may reflect the development of complex social and cultural behaviors, including respect for the dead and care for members of the community.
Together, the healed jaw injury, signs of dental disease and evidence of deliberate burial provide one of the clearest pictures yet of the lives of early Homo sapiens more than 90,000 years ago.
The study suggests that these ancient people may have experienced violence, cared for injured individuals and buried their dead with intention.
These behaviors are considered important milestones in human social and cultural evolution, showing that many traits we think of as deeply human may have begun much earlier than once believed.
Source: KSR.
