The earliest Pleistocene record of a large-bodied hominin from the Levant supports two out-of-Africa dispersal events

Omry Barzilai,Holly Woodward,Michalle Soudack,Alon Barash,Markus Bastir,Ella Been,Miriam Belmaker,Haley D. O’Brien,Amy Prendergast

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-05712-y

Abstract

The paucity of early Pleistocene hominin fossils in Eurasia hinders an in-depth discussion on their paleobiology and paleoecology. Here we report on the earliest large-bodied hominin remains from the Levantine corridor: a juvenile vertebra (UB 10749) from the early Pleistocene site of ‘Ubeidiya, Israel, discovered during a reanalysis of the faunal remains. UB 10749 is a complete lower lumbar vertebral body, with morphological characteristics consistent with Homo sp. Our analysis indicates that UB-10749 was a 6- to 12-year-old child at death, displaying delayed ossification pattern compared with modern humans. Its predicted adult size is comparable to other early Pleistocene large-bodied hominins from Africa. Paleobiological differences between UB 10749 and other early Eurasian hominins supports at least two distinct out-of-Africa dispersal events. This observation corresponds with variants of lithic traditions (Oldowan; Acheulian) as well as various ecological niches across early Pleistocene sites in Eurasia.

Highlights

The paucity of early Pleistocene hominin fossils in Eurasia hinders an in-depth discussion on their paleobiology and paleoecology
The paucity of Eurasian skeletal remains from the early Pleistocene leaves a considerable gap in our understanding of hominin paleobiology
Its morphologic features indicate that UB 10749 is a lower lumbar vertebra of an early Pleistocene Homo

Summary

Introduction

The paucity of early Pleistocene hominin fossils in Eurasia hinders an in-depth discussion on their paleobiology and paleoecology. We report on the earliest large-bodied hominin remains from the Levantine corridor: a juvenile vertebra (UB 10749) from the early Pleistocene site of ‘Ubeidiya, Israel, discovered during a reanalysis of the faunal remains. Its predicted adult size is comparable to other early Pleistocene large-bodied hominins from Africa. Paleobiological differences between UB 10749 and other early Eurasian hominins supports at least two distinct out-of-Africa dispersal events. This observation corresponds with variants of lithic traditions (Oldowan; Acheulian) as well as various ecological niches across early Pleistocene sites in Eurasia. B.) a complete vertebral body (UB 10749) with hominin characteristics was found This is the first hominin postcranial remain found at ‘Ubeidiya securely assigned to early Pleistocene deposits (See “Materials and methods”). We assess the taxonomic affinity of UB 10749, its serial location along the spinal column, its chronological and physiological age at death, estimate the specimen’s height and weight, and detect any pathological

Methods

Findings

Conclusion