Archaeologists in Georgia have unearthed a 1.8-million-year-old jawbone belonging to an early species of human that they say will shed light on some of the earliest prehistoric human settlements on the Eurasian continent.
The Georgian site at Orozmani - smaller than two parking spaces but rich in history - has brought to light the oldest remains of early humans yet excavated outside Africa and offers clues to the patterns of Homo erectus, a hunter-gatherer species that scientists believe started migrating around two million years ago.
"The study of the early human and fossil animal remains from Orozmani will allow us to determine the lifestyle of the first colonisers of Eurasia," said Giorgi Bidzinashvili, a professor of stone age archaeology at Ilia State University in Tbilisi.
"We think Orozmani can give us big information about humankind."
The lower jawbone was found around 100 km (62 miles) southwest of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, where archaeologists in 2022 excavated a tooth from early humans of the same era. In the nearby village of Dmanisi, 1.8-million-year-old human skulls have previously been found.
In this latest discovery, archaeologists also found fossils from animals including a sabre-toothed tiger, elephant, wolf, deer and giraffe, as well as a cache of stone tools.
Close study of the jawbone and the animal fossils can yield crucial answers about how early humans evolved after they left Africa, including what they ate and what the climate was like, scientists say.
At the Orozmani excavation site, archaeologists discover new remains of Homo erectus every year.
"My second day (on the dig) I found a nice little ankle bone," said Miles Alexandre, a recent anthropology graduate from the University of Rhode Island in the U.S.
"You go down five centimetres...there's a good chance you're going to find something."
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the of...
A drone strike caused a fire at the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE, officials said on Sunday, with ...
Medical teams are being rushed to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following a fast-moving Ebola outbreak that has already caused dozens ...
Iran and Pakistan reviewed bilateral ties and the latest developments in the stalled Iran-U.S. peace negotiations mediated by Islamabad, as Tehran ...
The World Health Organisation’s designation of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus outb...
Iran and Pakistan reviewed bilateral ties and the latest developments in the stalled Iran-U.S. peace negotiations mediated by Islamabad, as Tehran and Washington continue to refuse tangible concessions amid a fragile ceasefire and escalating verbal threats.
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are negotiating summer water allocations as rising temperatures, agricultural demand and pressure on shared rivers intensify water security concerns across Central Asia.
Spain’s High Court has cleared Colombian pop star Shakira of tax fraud and annulled a €55 million ($64 million) penalty imposed by Spanish tax authorities in 2021, according to a court document.
Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least eight Palestinians on Sunday, according to local health officials, as the Israel Defense Forces intensified operations targeting Hamas commanders and infrastructure across the enclave.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
Jeffrey D. Sachs, an economist, public policy analyst, Columbia University professor, and UN advisor, said Azerbaijan and the wider South Caucasus could become one of the world’s key strategic connectors in an emerging multipolar order.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are negotiating summer water allocations as rising temperatures, agricultural demand and pressure on shared rivers intensify water security concerns across Central Asia.
A new documentary by AnewZ Investigations titled 'Target Yerevan' is set to premiere in Baku soon, examining allegations surrounding former International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo, Armenian lobbying networks, and wider political influence campaigns.
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanitation conditions and mounting waste deepen the humanitarian crisis across overcrowded camps, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Uzbekistan has launched a nationwide environmental initiative titled ‘Day Without Cars’, which will take place twice a month as part of efforts to improve air quality and reduce vehicle emissions.
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum will open in Baku on Sunday, bringing together government representatives, city leaders, urban planners, international organisations, businesses and civil society to discuss the future of sustainable urban development.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment