Ancient Jawbone Discovery Reveals Insights into Early Humans
A remarkable discovery in the Republic of Georgia has unveiled a jawbone estimated to be approximately 1.8 million years old, potentially representing one of the earliest instances of Homo erectus living outside Africa. The announcement was made on July 31, 2023, by the Georgian National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation, marking a significant milestone in our understanding of early human migration.
The jawbone was found at the Orozmani site, located about 100 kilometers south of Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital. Archaeologist Giorgi Bidzinashvili, who has led excavations at this early Stone Age site since 2020, expressed optimism regarding the findings. “This discovery is expected to reveal the reasons for the migration of early hominins out of Africa,” he noted in correspondence with Live Science.
Initial excavations at Orozmani have yielded other significant artifacts, including stone tools and a tooth from Homo erectus, which was uncovered in 2022. These findings add to the growing body of evidence that suggests multiple early human groups may have settled in the Caucasus region shortly after departing Africa.
Understanding Early Human Migration
The Homo erectus species is believed to have evolved around 2 million years ago in Africa and was the first human ancestor to migrate beyond the continent. Fossil records indicate that these early humans spread into Europe, Asia, and Oceania. The earliest known evidence of this migration stems from the site of Dmanisi, located merely 19 kilometers from Orozmani. Research conducted in 2011 revealed that both Dmanisi and Orozmani are contemporaneous, dating between 1.825 million and 1.765 million years ago.
Excavations at Dmanisi over the past three decades have uncovered more than 100 fossil bones, including five skulls, which have provided insight into the physical characteristics of early hominins. These skeletons, initially classified as Homo georgicus, are now widely accepted as the earliest known Homo erectus specimens in Eurasia. Notably, these individuals exhibited smaller brain sizes and shorter statures compared to modern humans.
The findings at Orozmani, while limited to a single tooth and a partial jawbone so far, suggest that Dmanisi may not have been a solitary location for early human habitation. Karen Baab, a biological anthropologist at Midwestern University, highlighted the possibility that the movement of Homo erectus into Georgia could reflect a broader distribution of the species during this period.
Future Research Directions
The research team at Orozmani is currently engaged in efforts to determine the precise age of their findings in relation to those at Dmanisi. “Until we have new dates, we can neither confirm nor deny that the Orozmani human fossils are older than Dmanisi or contemporaneous,” Bidzinashvili explained. He anticipates that further analysis will yield results by the end of the year.
The ongoing research at these significant archaeological sites not only enhances our understanding of early human evolution but also raises important questions about the migration patterns of our ancestors. As new discoveries are made, they continue to reshape the narrative of human history and our journey from Africa to other parts of the world.
