A groundbreaking discovery in the Sima del Elefante cave, located in the Atapuerca mountains of Spain, is changing what we know about the first humans in Western Europe. Researchers have identified a 1.4-million-year-old facial fragment, making it the oldest known human fossil in the region.
This individual, nicknamed “Pink”, is believed to belong to Homo affinis erectus (or H. aff. erectus), an ancient hominin with traits more primitive than Homo antecessor.
Published in Nature, this finding significantly pushes back the timeline of early human migration in Europe, which was previously thought to have begun around 1.2 million years ago.
Atapuerca: A Prehistoric Treasure Trove
The Atapuerca mountains have long been a hotspot for paleoanthropological discoveries. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this region has yielded some of the most significant fossils in human evolutionary history.
The Sima del Elefante site, also known as the “Pit of the Elephant”, has been at the center of remarkable finds. In 2008, researchers discovered human remains dating back 1.2 million years, which were believed to be the oldest known fossils in Western Europe.
However, in 2022, a new excavation at a deeper level of the site led to the discovery of Pink’s remains, which have now been dated between 1.1 and 1.4 million years old.
The fossil—cataloged as ATE7-1—was meticulously reconstructed using advanced imaging and 3D modeling techniques. This facial fragment includes part of the upper jaw and cheekbone, revealing unique morphological characteristics that distinguish it from previously found hominins in the region.
Who Was Pink? A Face from 1.4 Million Years Ago
The anatomical features of Pink have raised exciting questions about early European hominins. Unlike Homo antecessor, who was previously thought to be the first European hominin, Pink’s skull structure is more robust and primitive.
According to Dr. María Martinón-Torres, director of CENIEH (National Research Center on Human Evolution) and co-author of the study, Homo antecessor shares some facial traits with Homo sapiens, such as a prominent nasal structure.
However, Pink’s features are more archaic, resembling those of Homo erectus, but with distinct differences that led scientists to classify the fossil as Homo affinis erectus—a hominin with similarities to Homo erectus, but potentially part of a separate European lineage.
This discovery suggests that Western Europe was inhabited by different hominin species long before Homo antecessor. It also challenges the long-held belief that hominins first migrated into Europe around 1.2 million years ago, indicating that the first human arrivals may have occurred even earlier than 1.4 million years ago.
Tools, Survival, and Early Human Behavior
Beyond Pink’s remains, archaeologists found stone tools and animal bones with cut marks, indicating that these early hominins had already developed basic tool-making skills. The tools, made from quartz, chert, and limestone, suggest that early humans at Atapuerca were using lithic technology for processing food and possibly hunting.
Dr. Xosé Pedro Rodríguez-Álvarez, a specialist in lithic industries, explained that these tools show evidence of stone knapping, meaning early humans had already developed effective survival strategies over a million years ago.
Why Did These Early Humans Disappear?
One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Pink and Homo aff. erectus in Europe is their eventual disappearance. Scientists are exploring several theories, including:
- Climate change: Around 1.1 million years ago, a significant climatic shift may have made survival difficult for these early populations, potentially leading to their extinction.
- Competition with later hominins: The arrival of Homo antecessor, whose remains date to 860,000 years ago, suggests that different human species might have coexisted in Europe, competing for resources.
- Migration patterns: Pink’s population may have been an early wave of migration that did not survive, paving the way for later hominins to dominate the region.
Dr. José María Bermúdez de Castro, co-director of the Atapuerca Project, stated: “This discovery places us at a new stage in the study of human settlement in Europe. As we advance in research, new questions arise that will help us better understand the diversity and evolution of our ancestors.”