La Derecha Diario A 300,000-year-old skull has been found in Greece that is neither human nor Neanderthal.
A 300,000-year-old skull found in Greece doesn't fit as human or Neanderthal and reopens the evolutionary debate
A skull discovered in the Petralona cave in Greece keeps the scientific community on edge. Despite decades of studies, experts have not been able to classify it as human or Neanderthal.
The fossil is estimated to be about 300,000 years old, and according to specialists, it belonged to a young adult male. Its morphology doesn't fit into known lineages and raises questions about evolution in Europe.
A discovery that astonished the world
The discovery took place in 1959 when a group of speleologists entered the Petralona cave. They found a skull covered by a stalagmite, which immediately attracted international attention.
According to the Journal of Human Evolution, for decades, attempts to classify the fossil caused debates and controversies. Its dating ranged from 170,000 to 700,000 years, without definitive consensus.
The key to modern dating
A recent study used uranium series technology to determine the age of the mineral coating. The result: about 277,000 years, which places the skull at around 300,000 years.
This means its owner lived during the Pleistocene, coinciding with Neanderthals, although he did not belong to that lineage. Experts link it to Homo heidelbergensis.
What its features reveal
The size and robustness of the skull, along with moderate tooth wear, suggest that it belonged to a young adult man. This information adds to the complexity of the European evolutionary puzzle.
An unsolved puzzle
Researchers emphasize that the skull doesn't fit into Homo sapiens or Neanderthals. Its discovery shows a period of transition and possible interbreeding between ancient populations.
Each new piece of data rewrites the history of Europe and shows how little we still know about human origins.
More posts: