Clues found for early Europeans

An archaeological find in Russia has shed light on the migration of modern humans into Europe.

Artifacts have been uncovered which suggest that ~45,000 years ago modern humans were in Kostenki, Russia. The team studying the artifacts are suggesting that the first modern men may have entered Europe through a different channel than researchers imagined. "Until now, it appeared as though the earliest presence of modern humans in Europe was in south central Europe, in places like Bulgaria and Greece," said John Hoffecker, author on the paper and a research scientist at the University of Colorado. "This reflects an entry from the Levant (eastern shores of the Mediterranean) just before 44,000 years ago." The researches examined tools, ornaments, and carved ivory which were discovered under volcanic ash. These artifacts are dissimilar to artifacts found at other European sites.

The earliest evidence of modern humans appears in Australia, dating to about 50,000 years ago. It is possible that the humans in Kotenski migrated from western Asia through the Caucasus Mountains. Modern humans may have migrated into Central Asia and then turned back to Europe. In the journal Science, where this article was published, another article reveals that a skull found in South Africa seems to be that of modern man's ancestors.