Indonesia: artifacts believed to belong to earliest Hominins found in Sulawesi
Archaeologists from Australia and Indonesia found the small, chipped tools, used to cut little animals and carve rocks, under the soil in the region of Soppeng in South Sulawesi. Radioactive tracing of these tools and the teeth of animals found around the site were dated at up to 1.48 million years ago.
Radioactive tracing of small tools at a site in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, dates back up to 1.48 million years ago. (Photo: REUTERS)
Jakarta (VNA) - Scientists have found a series of stone tools on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island they say may be evidence of humans living 1.5 million years ago on islands between Asia and Australia, the earliest known humans in the Wallacea region.
Archaeologists from Australia and Indonesia found the small, chipped tools, used to cut little animals and carve rocks, under the soil in the region of Soppeng in South Sulawesi. Radioactive tracing of these tools and the teeth of animals found around the site were dated at up to 1.48 million years ago.
The findings can transform theories of early human migrations, according to an article the archaeologists published in the journal Nature in August.
The earliest Wallacean humans, pre-historic persons known as Homo Erectus, were thought to have only settled in Indonesia's Flores island and Philippines' Luzon island around 1.02 million years ago, as they were thought to be incapable of distant sea travel, proving the significance of the Sulawesi findings in theories of migration.
Adam Brumm, lead archaeologist from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, said that these were artefacts made by ancient humans who lived on the earth long before the evolution of our species, Homo Sapiens.
Brumm said that they believed Homo Erectus somehow got from the Asian mainland across a significant ocean gap to this island, Sulawesi, at least 1 million years ago./.
Indonesia is committed to finalising the ratification process of the defence cooperation agreement that was agreed upon last year, and continuing discussions on ways to improve and enhance collaboration in this area, said Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Indonesia and Australia will advance shared development priorities, strengthen people-to-people ties, and deepen cooperation in regional defence and security.
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