Fossilized facial bone fragments of oldest known human discovered in Spanish cave: ‘Earliest human face’

A blast from the past!

Archeologists unearthed fossilized bone fragments in a cave in Spain that may represent a previously unknown species — making it the oldest-known human fossil ever discovered in Western Europe.

The left cheekbone and upper jaw of a partial skull belonging to an extinct human species were discovered at the Sima del Elefante cave near the Atapuerca Mountains in Burgos in 2022, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Nature. 

Archaeologists work on excavation at level TE7 of the Sima del Elefante site at Sierra de Atapuerca, near Burgos, Spain, in this undated handout image released on March 12, 2025. via REUTERS

Researchers estimate the remains — which were found near stone tools and animal bones — date back 1.1

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