A Jawbone That Questions Everything

In 1985, a team led by scientist Huang Wanpo unearthed a fossilized left mandible fragment with two teeth in Longgupo Cave, or "Dragon Bone Slope". This discovery in central China started a decades-long scientific argument. Initial analysis suggested the fossil belonged to a new subspecies of Homo erectus, which they named Homo erectus wushanensis. Dating of the site using paleomagnetism and electron spin resonance methods placed the fossils between 2.0 and 2.48 million years old. If this jawbone belonged to a hominin, it would represent the earliest evidence of humans in Asia, predating other significant finds by hundreds of thousands of years and challenging established timelines of human migration out of Africa.

The site has many other fossils, including over 116 species of mammals like the extinct giant ape Gigantopithecus blacki and the pygmy giant panda Ailuropoda microta. Excavations also uncovered more than 1,000 stone artifacts. These tools, identified as simple choppers and flakes, appear to be intentionally crafted and resemble Oldowan-style technology from Africa. The presence of both a potential early Homo fossil and stone tools at such an ancient date suggested a much earlier arrival of hominins in Asia than previously thought.

Hominin or Extinct Ape?

The hominin identity of the "Wushan Man" jawbone was quickly contested. In the 1990s, researchers including Russell Ciochon, Jeffrey Schwartz, and Ian Tattersall argued that the fossil's features were not consistent with early Homo. They pointed to the dental morphology, suggesting it more closely resembled that of an extinct ape, possibly related to the genus Lufengpithecus. Ciochon, who had initially supported the hominin classification, later retracted his position, stating that the jaw belonged to an unknown ape species that lived in the region's subtropical forests.

The debate remains unresolved. Some Chinese paleoanthropologists maintain the fossil's hominin status, while many Western scientists lean toward the ape hypothesis. The classification of the stone tools adds another layer of complexity. Even if the jawbone is from an ape, the tools confirm a hominin presence at Longgupo, as apes are not known to manufacture such implements. This leaves open the question of who made the tools. Archaeological work continues at the site, with a fifth round of excavations beginning in August 2023 to search for more definitive evidence.

China's 2.48-Million-Year-Old Jawbone Debate

A Jawbone That Questions Everything

Hominin or Extinct Ape?

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China's 2.48-Million-Year-Old Jawbone Debate

A Jawbone That Questions Everything

Hominin or Extinct Ape?

💡Fun Facts

References

There's more in the app

Practical Information

Nearby curiosities

Nearby curiosities