A human skull, the age of which is almost 1 million years old, was found in China. According to experts, this find will be able to fill the gap regarding the origin of Homo erectus in East Asia.
What exactly did the archaeologists find?
This is the third skull that archaeologists from China managed to find in Yun County, central Hubei Province. Two similar discoveries were made in the same place about 30 years ago.
In terms of environment, faunal remains, and stonework characteristics, all three skulls are very similar. However, the age of the skull, which was found the other day, is estimated at 1 million years. Scientists hope that this fact can be confirmed by radiocarbon analysis. The research will be conducted in a few months, because currently only part of the skull has been excavated: the rest of the fossil will be "uncovered" in November.
Unlike the previous two skulls, which were distorted during the process of fossilization, the transition of the remains into a fossil state, the new find is almost intact. And this allows archaeologists to assume that they found the most complete skull of that age on the mainland of Eurasia.
What was found besides the skull?
Next to the skull, archaeologists found petrified remains of animals and stone tools. It is assumed that the latter could be used for hunting. As for animal fossils, they are mostly mammals. Based on these finds, scientists assume that the inhabitants of the county were skilled craftsmen and hunters.
Why is this finding so important?
Among the expectations of archaeologists is the possibility of clarifying the appearance of the immediate predecessors of modern man. First, anatomical features of the face, data on brain volume. The found fossil is an important basis for the study of Homo erectus in the territory of East Asia.
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