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(CNN) – Hundreds of fossilized footprints dating back 120,000 years have been discovered in Saudi Arabia, and they could point to the earliest evidence of human movement in the region, according to a new study in Science Advances.
Researchers discovered hundreds of fossilized footprints, which were exposed by erosion of sediments, during a study of an ancient lake in the Nefud desert of Saudi Arabia.
Among the 376 ancient forms discovered around Lake Alathar, experts identified animal tracks, including horse, camel and elephant tracks, notable because elephants appeared to have become extinct in the Levant around 400,000 years ago.
But most surprisingly, the researchers said they discovered seven hominid tracks that, if confirmed, could be evidence of the oldest evidence of the human species on the Arabian Peninsula.
“We immediately realized the potential of these findings,” Mathew Stewart, one of the lead authors of the study from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, said in a statement.
“Footprints are a unique form of fossil evidence as they provide snapshots in time, generally representing a few hours or days, a resolution that we don’t usually do. [to] get from other records, “he added.
The researchers believe the footprints date to the late interglacial period, a time when damp conditions occurred that facilitated the movement of humans and animals in a region that was otherwise made up of deserts.
Fossil and archaeological records show that these conditions aided human migration from Africa to the Levant, the researchers said.
“It’s only after the last interglacial [period] with the return of colder conditions, we have definitive evidence that Neanderthals are moving into the region, “Stewart said.” The footprints, therefore, probably represent humans or Homo sapiens. “
After studying the footprints, experts believe the dense concentration of footprints suggests that animals flocked around the lake as a result of the dry conditions and diminishing water, while humans could have used the area to obtain water and search food.
“We know that people visited the lake, but the lack of stone tools or evidence of the use of animal carcasses suggests that their visit to the lake was brief,” Stewart added.
This story was first published on CNN.com, “120,000-year-old footprints were found in Saudi Arabia, and they could be human.”
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