Archaeologists in Indonesia have made a groundbreaking discovery on the island of Flores. A team of scientists led by Australian-Nosodeland archaeologist Professor Mike Morvuda uncovered fossil remains dating back approximately 700,000 years. These fossils could belong to one of the earliest known species of hominids.
The excavation took place in the Liang Bua cave in the west of the island back in 2003. However, it was only recently that scientists conducted a thorough analysis of the fossils, shedding light on the evolution of Homo floresiensis, also known as “Floresian man” or simply “hobbits.”
One significant find was a small fragment of an adult limb. Professor Adam Brumm from the University of Griffith, a co-author of the study, pointed out that this shoulder bone is not only shorter than that of Homo floresiensis but is also the shortest upper limb on record for any hominid.
These new discoveries have prompted scientists to reconsider their notions of the size of the ancient inhabitants of Flores. It was determined that the ancestors of the “hobbits” were even smaller than previously believed, with a height of about 100 cm, which is 6 cm shorter than later Homo floresiensis individuals from 60,000 years ago.
In addition to the shoulder bone, archaeologists found two teeth of hominids at Mata Menge, which were notably small. One of the teeth bore resemblances to early Homo erectus individuals from the island of Java.
A total of 10 fossils were discovered at Mata Menge, with four of them belonging to individuals, including two children. These individuals anatomically resemble Homo floresiensis from Liang Bua and are considered an ancient version of the species. The previous theory suggesting that the “hobbits” were dwarf descendants of early Asian Homo erectus has now been called into question.
Interestingly, the existence of Homo floresiensis seems to have overlapped with the presence of Homo sapiens. While the “hobbits” inhabited the Liang Bua cave 50,000 years ago, our human ancestors were already living in Australia, located south of Flores.
Professor Brumm underscores that many mysteries still surround the history of Floresian man. Each new discovery uncovers some secrets while also sparking new questions about the origin and evolution of these fascinating creatures.