The oldest migration route in human history has been revealed: 700 thousand years old ivory opened the doors to a lost world

New data that excites the scientific world has been obtained regarding the spread of the human race from the African continent to the world. During the work carried out in the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov archaeological site near the Hula Valley in northern Israel, a giant ivory fossil dating back to approximately 700 thousand years ago was unearthed. The research, the details of which were shared in the respected science journal Quaternary Science Reviews, revealed the survival struggles of the first human communities by reproducing the climate and environmental conditions in the area where the fossil was found.

In the study carried out jointly by experts from Haifa University and Tel-Hai University, fossilized giant elephant molars and ivory pieces were detected side by side with basalt hand axes and hatchets belonging to the Acheulian tradition, one of the oldest known stone tool technologies in human history.

These tools, made from basalt, a volcanic rock, prove that humanoid communities that lived in the region 700 thousand years ago were hunting and processing natural resources in a qualified manner. The recovered remains show that the giant straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) and early human species shared the same habitat.

The research team treated the giant tooth fossil not only as a living remains but also as a repository of climatic data of the period to which it belonged. While the internal structure of the fossil was examined using computerized tomography (CT) and 3D modeling techniques; Isotope geochemistry and pollen analyzes in sedimentary layers were combined.

Analyzes made; It revealed that the region, which can be considered arid today, was covered with dense forests, streams, swamps and rich meadows 700 thousand years ago. While carbon isotope data confirms that there is a constant and reliable water source in the region; Pollen from willow, tamarisk, reeds and aquatic plants showed that the area was an ideal biological oasis for giant mammals and humans.

The Hula Valley, where the discovery was made, is located on the "Levant Corridor" that connected the African and Eurasian continents in prehistoric times. Scientists emphasize that this area functions as an ecological shelter that maintains its vitality even during periods of climate fluctuations.

The head of the excavation, Prof. In his assessment of the subject, Gonen Sharon stated that the availability of water and food resources directly determined the migration lines of the first people. Sharon noted that the wetlands and forests of the Hula Valley served as a vital stopover point that enabled the survival of ancient populations traveling through harsh climates.

The study, completed with the participation of archaeozoologists, isotope experts and botanists from Haifa and Tel Aviv universities, once again proved the role of ancient environmental conditions in human evolution. Researchers point out that in order to understand the adaptation processes of early humans to unknown geographies, the ecosystems in which these creatures lived should be examined in detail, as well as the fossil remains.