An artificial island made of sand dredged from the seafloor of Indonesia has uncovered a treasure trove of fossils, shedding light on a long-lost world inhabited by early humans. Scientists have unearthed over 6,700 fossils of fish, reptiles, and mammals, including two hominin skulls, on the newly formed island.
This groundbreaking discovery marks the first time ancient human fossils have been found between the Indonesian islands. The fossils belong to Homo erectus, a species that is the longest-surviving of all human relatives. Previously, evidence of Homo erectus in the region was limited to the island of Java. However, the recent findings suggest that this population was not as isolated as once thought.
More than 130,000 years ago, when sea levels were significantly lower, Homo erectus ventured out of Java and inhabited the submerged landmass known as Sundaland. Sundaland, now a shallow sea, was once a land bridge connecting the Asian mainland to the islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java.
This migration may have brought Homo erectus into contact with other human species living in Asia at the time, such as Neanderthals or Denisovans. The fossils found on the artificial island provide valuable insights into the prehistoric ecosystem of Sundaland, which resembled the African savannah at the time.
Experts believe that Homo erectus likely relied on rivers in Sundaland for water and food, hunting large game like water turtles and bovids. The discovery of cut marks on the bones suggests a similar hunting and consumption pattern to more modern human species on the Asian mainland.
While Homo erectus eventually went extinct in Asia and Africa around 400,000 years ago, the species persisted on Java until approximately 108,000 years ago. The recent find of Homo erectus fossils off the coast of Java provides a glimpse into the species’ life in this region.
The research, published in the journal Quaternary Environments and Humans, highlights the importance of underwater archaeology in uncovering the mysteries of our ancient past. The study suggests that further exploration of the seabed may reveal additional clues about the movements and behaviors of Homo erectus in this region.
