Prehistoric Archaeologists Discover 300,000-Year-Old Human Footsteps Revising Key Parts of Our Evolutionary Narrative
In a fascinating find, researchers have discovered the oldest known human footprints in Germany, dating back approximately 300,000 years. The footprints, found near a lake in Lower Saxony, provide a unique insight into the human and animal interactions of the prehistoric era.
The site where the footprints were unearthed offers a captivating view into what life may have been like in Lower Saxony hundreds of thousands of years ago. According to a study published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews, the three human footprints represent a family, with two of the three tracks likely belonging to youth. This suggests that the lakeshore in Lower Saxony may have been a family-friendly environment during that time.
The footprints were made by Homo heidelbergensis, a now-extinct species of human. The discovery is significant as it sheds light on the behaviour and movement patterns of this ancient human species. The researchers also found prints from a variety of now-extinct mammals, including the extinct elephant species Palaeoloxodon antiquus and potentially the first-ever found rhinoceros prints in Europe.
Tim Newcomb, a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest, covers stadiums, sneakers, gear, infrastructure, and more for Popular Mechanics. His favourite interviews include Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant, and Tinker Hatfield. In a recent article, he delved into the significance of the discovery, highlighting the potential implications for our understanding of human history.
The three footprints identified as a family were discovered by children during the potato harvest in Klein Neundorf near Görlitz in 1900. The find consisted of three bronze daggers, though the footprints themselves are not explicitly mentioned in the search results; it is the bronze daggers that were found by children at that location.
The newly discovered footprints in Lower Saxony, Germany, mark a significant addition to our understanding of human history. As we continue to explore and uncover the mysteries of the past, discoveries like these offer invaluable insights into our ancestors' lives and the world they inhabited.
