Was Israel the Birthplace of Modern Humans?

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Dec. 31, 2010) — It has long been believed that modern humans emerged from the continent of Africa 200,000 years ago. Now Tel Aviv University archaeologists have uncovered evidence that Homo sapiens roamed the land now called Israel as early as 400,000 years ago -- the earliest evidence for the existence of modern humans anywhere in the world.

The findings were discovered in the Qesem Cave, a pre-historic site located near Rosh Ha'ayin that was first excavated in 2000. Prof. Avi Gopher and Dr. Ran Barkai of Tel Aviv University's Department of Archaeology, who run the excavations, and Prof. Israel Hershkowitz of the university's Department of Anatomy and Anthropology and Sackler School of Medicine, together with an international team of scientists, performed a morphological analysis on eight human teeth found in the Qesem Cave.

This analysis, which included CT scans and X-rays, indicates that the size and shape of the teeth are very similar to those of modern humans. The teeth found in the Qesem Cave are very similar to other evidence of modern humans from Israel, dated to around 100,000 years ago, discovered in the Skhul Cave in the Carmel and Qafzeh Cave in the Lower Galilee near Nazareth. The results of the researchers' findings are being published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.

Qesem Cave is dated to a period between 400,000 and 200,000 years ago, and archaeologists working there believe that the findings indicate significant evolution in the behavior of ancient humans. This period of time was crucial in the history of humankind from cultural and biological perspectives. The teeth that are being studied indicate that these changes are apparently related to evolutionary changes taking place at that time.

more

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101230123554.htm

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Of course we came from Israel.

And Hebrew was the first language. :crazy:

[xchrom]

2. I guess what I find interesting is the idea that hominids

Might have been spread around more.

If homo Salians evolved outside of Africa - then
Earlier hominids had spread out.

Which I find interesting.

[Warpy]

4. They already know that

and yes, we did interbreed with Neanderthals, although such interbreeding was likely not very efficient. We still carry some of their DNA. They've also recently discovered another hominid subgroup in eastern Europe. My guess is that there were others, still, and we probably carry all of them somewhere in our DNA.

[qazplm]

3. I think all this means is

that one day we will find a place in Africa or elsewhere even older.