Deep in an open coal mine in southern Greece, researchers have discovered the antiquities-rich country's oldest archaeological site, which dates to 700,000 years ago and is associated with modern humans' hominin ancestors. The find announced Thursday would drag the dawn of Greek archaeology back by as much as a quarter of a million years, although older hominin sites have been discovered elsewhere in Europe. The oldest, in Spain, dates to more than a million years ago.
This undated photo provided by the Greek Culture Ministry on Thursday, June 1, 2023 shows researchers on the sides of an open coal mine in Megalopolis, southern Greece. The Culture Ministry said that a five-year international project in Megalopolis has uncovered the oldest-known archaeological site in the country that dates to about 700,000 years ago, pushing back the dawn of Greek archaeology by up to 250,000 years.
It was found to contain rough stone tools from the Lower Palaeolithic period -- about 3.3 million to 300,000 years ago -- and the remains of an extinct species of giant deer, elephants, hippopotamus, rhinoceros and a macaque monkey. They said it's possible the items were produced by Homo antecessor, the hominin species dating from that period in other parts of Europe. Homo antecessor is believed to have been the last common ancestor of modern humans and their extinct Neanderthal cousins, who diverged about 800,000 years ago.
"We are very excited to be able to report this finding, which demonstrates the great importance of our region for understanding hominin migrations to Europe and for human evolution in general," the three co-directors said.
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