Mina Weinstein-Evron & Israel Hershkovitz Figure 4. The left hemi- Biology / Human Evolution︱ Figure 1. Location of early modern human fossils in Africa and the maxilla with teeth Middle East. Image modified from [http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/ view_rec.php?vev1id=11656 “Blue Marble”] Discovering when the first early modern humans left Africa Previous evidence suggested t is accepted that Homo sapiens deserts, the Levantine corridor is the ideal that early modern humans (humans) originated in Africa, as did location to search for evidence of early left Africa 90,000 to 120,000 Iall other hominins. Hominins are the human movement due to the restricted years ago, but new evidence group containing humans and human-like area. There are several archaeological dig has shown this event may species, including Neanderthals and other sites of importance in the corridor, and have occurred much earlier. relatives of Homo sapiens. Humans are many interesting finds with significance Professor Mina Weinstein-Evron the only extant member of the group of for human evolution. Professor Weinstein- (University of Haifa, Israel) and hominins. This is a subsection of hominids, Evron and Professor Hershkovitz and their Professor Israel Hershkovitz (Tel which are all the great apes including colleagues, have been investigating a site Aviv University, Israel), together chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans, known as Misliya cave on the slopes of with their colleagues, have as well as humans. Humans left Africa Mount Carmel, Israel. They believe they found a modern human fossil to settle all across the world, probably may have found evidence of the earliest Figure 3. The excavated area where Misliya 1 at Misliya cave in Israel, which multiple times, and to do this they would modern humans outside of Africa. Figure 2. Misliya cave was found Figure 5. The left hemimaxilla dates to between 177,000 and have travelled the Levantine corridor. This 194,000 years ago. These might makes the Mount Carmel - Galilee area HUMAN FOSSILS determined by the physical characteristics. from Misliya cave suggest that this event ago changes our understanding of the be the first modern humans of Israel one of the richest in the world for The most significant find at the Misliya Ancestors of modern humans (earlier occurred at least 100,000 years earlier than time-span of Homo sapiens evolution, outside of Africa. They have Middle Pleistocene Homo fossils. cave site was the discovery of half a members of the Homo genus, such as previously thought. This finding turns our which must have occurred much earlier. also discovered a collection of human upper jaw (maxilla) with attached Homo erectus) If modern humans shells, a variety of stone tools, teeth. Three different dating methods left Africa before started traveling abundant remains of hunted THE LEVANTINE CORRIDOR The Levantine corridor is the narrow were used at three different laboratories Homo sapiens’ The most significant find at the Misliya out of Africa around animals, and evidence for stretch of land in the Eastern to determine the age of the fossil. The appearance. 200-250,000 years repeatedly used hearths. Mediterranean region, at the crossroads first was uranium-thorium dating (also However, the cave site was the discovery of half a ago, they must have of Africa, Asia and Europe, which would called U-series dating), which uses the morphology of the human jawbone with attached teeth. originated in Africa have been the route taken by early rate of radioactive decay of uranium to Misliya upper jaw much earlier than modern humans when they left Africa calculate the age of calcium carbonate and the attached teeth is consistent with current understanding – of modern human previously appreciated – somewhere to disperse across Eurasia. Constrained materials such as bone. The second belonging to an anatomically modern dispersal and the history of modern human between 500,000 and 700,000 years ago. between the Mediterranean Sea and method was combined U-series and human. There are features present that evolution – on its head. electron spin resonance dating, which can occasionally be found in members of It is very likely that the spread of humans calculates the age of tooth enamel earlier or even contemporaneous (such as PIECING TOGETHER THE PUZZLE in this area varied considerably, as by the level of radiation uptake in the Neanderthals) hominin species, but the Importantly, the finding that the Misliya reconstructions of the environmental material. The final method used was combination of features exhibited by the fossil dates back 177,000 to 194,000 years conditions at the time suggest that while thermoluminescence dating, which dates Misliya Homo is specific toHomo sapiens. there were some humid phases that burnt flints by the amount of radiation would have been favourable, there were they have absorbed since they were last This discovery is therefore evidence that also dry phases that would discourage heated. All three methods gave consistent early modern humans left Africa at least human dispersal. Therefore, it is possible results, dating the jaw as being between 177,000 to 194,000 years ago (probably as that this early human fossil is evidence of 177,000 and 194,000 years old. early as 250,000 years). This is considerably one of Homo sapiens early attempts at earlier than any other finds indicative of passing into Asia. Additionally, this earlier Analysis of the physical features of the modern humans outside of Africa. Up until movement of modern humans is in line jawbone and teeth confirmed that this the Misliya fossil discovery it was estimated with recent genetic evidence that dates fossil belonged to an anatomically modern from fossils found at the nearby Skhul the interbreeding of Homo sapiens and human. Using the term anatomically and Qafzeh caves, that early anatomically Neanderthals (which occurred outside of modern humans distinguishes Homo modern humans left Africa 90,000 to Africa) to between 219,000 and 460,000 sapiens from earlier human species as 120,000 years ago. Notably, these dates Figure 6. Reconstruced maxilla years ago. Significantly, together with www.researchoutreach.org www.researchoutreach.org projectiles (spearheads), which also form this site by early humans, compared to the earliest example in the region. There the apparent short-term occupation of have been finds of similar technologies other locations. across Africa, which could suggest that Behind the Research the spread of these more sophisticated Microscopic analysis revealed evidence tools across Eurasia could be linked to of plant material inside Misliya cave human dispersal. dated from the same period as the early human habitation. The laying of the plant Mina Israel There were many tools found at Misliya material is very similar to finds from later cave, some of which appear to be sites, which have been suggested to be Weinstein-Evron Hershkovitz suited for different tasks but many were evidence of bedding or matting. It is multifunctional. This is an important difficult to determine with certainty that [email protected] +972 543213907 [email protected] +972 509967677 technological shift as it indicates the this was the use of the assemblage, but E: T: E: T: W: ddc.tau.ac.il W: sfai.tau.ac.il development of curated tool-kits. if it is bedding then this would be the Figure 7. Typical Use-wear analysis (close examination earliest example to date. Early Middle Paleolithic flint of the wear patterns on the surfaces Research Objectives Detail points found of tools) suggests that these tools A collection of shells was also found at together with The research of Mina Weinstein-Evron and Israel Hershkovitz centres on were used for a variety of activities the Misliya cave site. There is evidence of Bio Misliya 1 the prehistory of the Levant and Old World. Mina Weinstein-Evron: Professor (emerita) of archaeology; including the processing of both meat shell collecting throughout modern human former Head, Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of and plant foods, hide processing, and history, and many theories for why early Haifa; former Head of ‘Ofakim’: University of Haifa honours woodworking. Surface analysis also humans would gather and store them References program; excavation director, Mount Carmel caves. Research interests: prehistory, human evolution, palaeoenvironments, found significant evidence of a variety - ranging from signalling an individual’s • Hershkovitz, I., et al. (2018). The earliest modern humans outside Africa. technological innovation, symbolism, archive and heritage of handling arrangements. Various tools place in social networks to the possibility Science 359:456–45. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap8369 studies, history of archaeology. Recipient, Atapuerca were wrapped in a material such as that they believed they acted as a kind of • Stringer, C., and Galway-Witham, J. (2018). When did modern humans Foundation (Burgos, Spain), Evolution Award, Scientific hide, to ensure handling without risk good luck charm. Particularly interesting leave Africa? Science 359(6374):389-390. https://doi.org/10.1126/ Values (2017). science.aas8954 of injury on the sharp edges. Others about the shells found at Misliya cave is Israel Hershkovitz: Professor (emeritus) of Anatomy and • Weissbrod, L. and Weinstein-Evron, M. (2021). Early modern human Physical Anthropology at the Department of Anatomy and exhibit clear signs of hafting, i.e., when that they are not perforated. At sites that dispersal into southwest Asia occurred in variable climates: A reply Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine; Head, The Dan an artifact such as a blade or a point is have been determined as later habitations to Frumkin and Comay (2019). J Hum Evol, 102833. https://doi. David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research; org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102833 attached to a handle or shaft to facilitate of anatomically modern humans the Head, The Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute; Head, • Zaidner, Y.