According to Sci-News, researchers have identified the Fordwich archaeological site in northeast Kent, England, as containing remains of some of the earliest humans to settle southeastern England. But these humans were not our species!
A team led by the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge believes these mysterious humans lived here between 620,000 and 560,000 years ago. They were either Homo erectus or Homo heidelbergensis, some of the oldest members of the Homo genus. They stood upright and had bodies similar to ours but their faces still showed many ape-like features.
Both species belong to the Homo genus along with Homo sapiens, but appeared much earlier.
Since the 1920s, stone quarrying in the area has uncovered about 330 stone fragments identified as ancient hand axes. The latest survey discovered even more valuable finds: rare evidence of scraping and piercing tools dating back to this early period.
The stone tools were dated using infrared-radiofluorescence (IR-RF) methods, confirming their age within the timeframe mentioned.
“Finding these artifacts suggests that these ancient humans were processing animal hides, possibly to make clothing or shelters,” explained Dr. Tomos Proffitt from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, part of the research team.
Previously, a collection of footprints dating from 840,000 to 950,000 years ago was found in other parts of England, including Happisburgh and Norfolk.
At the Fordwich site, scientists continue searching, hoping to uncover skeletal remains of the toolmakers.
The study was recently published in Royal Society Open Science.
