In 2000, archaeologists discovered the remains of three ancient elephants and 87 stone tools dating from 300,000 to 400,000 years ago at Pampore in India’s Kashmir Valley. in new paper in a diary Quaternary Science Reviewresearchers describe the discovery of elephant bone flakes that suggests humans tapped the bones to extract bone marrow, an energy-dense fatty tissue. in Attachment in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontologydescribes the bones of an extinct elephant belonging to the genus Orthotus. Paleoloxodon.
To date, there is only one fossil hominin. narmada human — so far discovered in the Indian subcontinent.
The mix of features of older and more recent hominid species indicates that the Indian subcontinent must have played an important role in early human dispersal.
Until the discovery of this fossil in 1982, paleontologists only had stone tools to give a rough overview of the presence of our ancestors in the subcontinent.
“So the question is, who are these humans? What are they doing here? Are they aiming for the big game or not?” Dr. Advait Jukharcurator of vertebrate paleontology at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
“At least in the Kashmir Valley, we are certain that these hominins ate elephants.”
Stone tools believed to have been used to extract bone marrow at the Pampore site were made from basalt, a type of rock not found in the local area.
Paleontologists believe the raw materials were brought in from elsewhere before being fully kneaded or shaped on site.
Based on construction methods, they concluded that the ruins and tools are between 300,000 and 400,000 years old.
Until now, the earliest evidence of slaughter in India dates back less than 10,000 years.
“Maybe people aren’t looking closely enough or they’re just sampling in the wrong place,” Dr. Jukar says.
“But so far, there is no direct evidence of humans eating large animals in India.”
Most of the elephant remains at the Pampore site were from a single adult male. Paleoloxodon.
There is abnormal bone growth inside the skull, likely caused by chronic sinus infections.
It was clear that early humans used carcasses, but there was no direct evidence of hunting, such as spear points stuck in the bones.
Hominins may have killed the elephant or found the carcass after it had died of natural causes. The elephant may have been weakened by chronic sinusitis and may have gotten stuck in soft sediment near the Jhelum River, where paleontologists eventually discovered it.
of Paleoloxodon The skull is the most complete specimen of this genus found in the Indian subcontinent.
Researchers identified it as belonging to an extinct elephant Paleoloxodon TurkmenicusThis fossil was discovered only once, in 1955. This oldest fossil was a partial skull fragment found in Turkmenistan.
Although it differed in appearance from other members of the genus, Paleoloxodonthere wasn’t enough material to determine for sure whether it was actually a separate species.
“The problem is Paleoloxodon That’s because their teeth are almost indistinguishable between species,” Dr Jukar said.
“So even if you find an isolated tooth, you won’t actually know what type of tooth it is. Paleoloxodon It belongs to You have to see their skulls. ”
Fortunately, the Pampore specimen’s hyoid bone (the bone at the back of the throat that attaches to the tongue) was still intact.
Paleoloxodon It originated in Africa about 1 million years ago and then dispersed to Eurasia. Many species in this genus are known for having unusually large foreheads and crowns that protrude above their nostrils, unlike modern elephant species.
early seeds Paleoloxodon However, African ones do not have the bulge.
meanwhile, Paleoloxodon Turkmenicus The forehead without the top of the head is widened.
“It shows this kind of intermediate stage. Paleoloxodon It’s an evolution,” Dr. Jukar said.
“This specimen could help paleontologists figure out how this genus moved and evolved.”
Given that humans have been eating meat for millions of years, researchers suspect that further evidence of slaughter is waiting to be discovered.
“What I’ve realized over the years is that it takes a lot more effort to go out there and find it, and you basically have to investigate and collect everything,” Dr. Jukhar said.
“In the past, when people collected fossils, they only collected high-quality skulls and limb bones.”
“They didn’t collect all the shattered bones, which could be more indicative of human-made fragments and breakage.”
_____
Gram M. Burt others. 2024. Artificial exploitation of straight-tusked elephants (Paleoloxodon) Middle Pleistocene deposits of Pampore, Kashmir, India. Quaternary Science Review 342: 108894;doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108894
Advait M. Jukhar others. 2024. worthy of attention Paleoloxodon (Mammalia, longa) skull from the mountainous Kashmir Valley of India. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontologypublished online October 11, 2024. doi: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2396821
This article is based on a press release provided by the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Source: www.sci.news
