Imagine walking on the shore of a lake, surrounded by a forest of birch and pine trees, and encountering a herd of elephants or rhinoceroses.
This is what life might have been like for our ancient ancestors, Homo heidelbergensis, who lived in Europe about 300,000 years ago. And now, we have a glimpse of their footsteps, preserved in the mud for millennia.
A rare and precious discovery
In a study published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews, an international team of researchers led by scientists from the University of Tübingen and the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (SHEP) announced the discovery of the oldest human footprints known from Germany, as per Phys.org.
The tracks were found in the Schöningen Paleolithic site complex in Lower Saxony, a rich source of archaeological and paleontological evidence from the Middle Pleistocene epoch.
The footprints are very rare and precious, as they are easily eroded or destroyed by natural processes.
They are also difficult to identify and date, as they can be confused with animal tracks or natural features.
The researchers used various methods, such as 3D scanning, photogrammetry, sediment analysis, and radiometric dating, to confirm that the tracks were indeed made by humans and that they were about 300,000 years old.
The researchers identified three human footprints among hundreds of animal tracks at two sites in Schöningen.
The footprints are relatively small, measuring between 18 and 26 centimeters in length, and belong to two young individuals who walked barefoot on the muddy shore of a lake.
The researchers estimate that they were about 1.4 to 1.6 meters tall and weighed between 40 and 60 kilograms.
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A Snapshot of an ancient ecosystem
Human footprints are not only valuable for their age and rarity but also for the information they provide about the environment and the behavior of our extinct relatives, as per The History Blog.
The footprints are surrounded by several animal tracks, such as those of elephants, rhinoceroses, horses, deer, boars, bears, wolves, and birds.
These tracks reveal the diversity and abundance of wildlife that inhabited the area at that time.
The researchers also reconstructed the vegetation and climate of Schöningen based on pollen, charcoal, wood remains, and isotopic data.
They found that the area was covered by an open forest of birch and pine trees with grassy patches. The climate was relatively mild and humid, similar to today's Mediterranean region.
The footprints also suggest that Homo heidelbergensis lived in small mixed-age groups that exploited the resources around the lake. They probably ate plants, fruits, mushrooms, and meat from hunting or scavenging.
They also used wooden spears to hunt large animals, such as horses or elephants, as evidenced by other finds at Schöningen.
The footprints offer a rare glimpse into the daily life of a human family in a prehistoric landscape. They show us how our ancestors adapted to their environment and interacted with other animals.
They also remind us of our connection to a long and complex evolutionary history.
Who were Homo heidelbergensis?
Homo heidelbergensis was an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans that lived in Africa, Europe, and possibly Asia between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, as per Britannica.
The name Homo heidelbergensis was first proposed in 1908 by German scientist Otto Schoetensack to describe a fossil jawbone found near Heidelberg, Germany.
Since then, many other fossils have been attributed to this species, showing a mix of features from earlier Homo erectus and later Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis.
Homo heidelbergensis had a large braincase, averaging about 1200 cubic centimeters, and a flat face with massive brow ridges. They had a robust body, adapted to cold climates, and were about 1.5 to 1.8 meters tall.
They were capable of making complex stone tools, such as handaxes and spears, and used fire for cooking and warmth. They also built simple shelters out of wood and rock, and hunted large animals such as elephants and horses.
Homo heidelbergensis is considered to be the common ancestor of both Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis, diverging from them about 400,000 years ago.
Some researchers also suggest that Homo heidelbergensis may have interbred with other archaic humans, such as Homo antecessor in Spain and Homo rhodesiensis in Africa.
Homo heidelbergensis was one of the most successful and widespread early human species, occupying diverse habitats and environments across three continents.
They witnessed many changes in climate, vegetation, and fauna during their long existence.
They also faced challenges from predators, diseases, and competition from other human groups. Their fossils provide us with a fascinating glimpse into the evolution and diversity of our genus.
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