1.4-Million-Year-Old Fossil in Spain Redefines Early Human History in Western Europe

The partial face fossil, nicknamed 'Pink,' represents the oldest known human ancestor in Western Europe and suggests a new hominin species possibly linked to Homo erectus.

Archaeologists in northern Spain uncovered a 1.1 to 1.4-million-year-old partial face fossil, nicknamed 'Pink,' at the Sima del Elefante site in 2022.
The fossil, consisting of a left cheekbone and upper jaw, is the oldest human ancestor found in Western Europe, predating Homo antecessor by over 250,000 years.
Researchers suggest 'Pink' may belong to a new hominin species they tentatively call Homo 'affinis' erectus, though its exact classification remains uncertain.
Stone tools and animal bones with cut marks found alongside the fossil provide insights into early human subsistence strategies in a humid forest environment rich in wildlife.
The discovery supports the theory of east-to-west human migration into Europe over 1.4 million years ago, raising questions about the survival and extinction of early hominin populations.