Arabian artifacts may rewrite 'Out of Africa' theory

Modern humans left Africa through Arabia long before genetic evidence suggests


www.msnbc.msn.com...

Newfound stone artifacts suggest humankind left Africa traveling through the Arabian Peninsula instead of hugging its coasts, as long thought, researchers say.

Modern humans first arose about 200,000 years ago in Africa. When and how our lineage then dispersed has long proven controversial, but geneticists have suggested this exodus started between 40,000 and 70,000 years ago. The currently accepted theory is that the exodus from Africa traced Arabia's shores, rather than passing through its now-arid interior.

The stone artifacts found in Oman were likely made by striking flakes off flint, leading to distinctive triangular shapes. This is the first time this particular stone tool technology has been found outside of Africa.

Article goes on to say that "So far the researchers have not discovered the remains of humans or any other animals at the site." and questioned if the toolmakers were Neanderthals, but lead researcher Jeffrey Rose says "Nubian Middle Stone Age tools seen in Africa are associated with our ancestors."

Should be interesting if and when they find remains.

There may not be any remains there to find. Rock shelters were commonly used by a lot of people, but they didn't usually bury their dead in rock shelters.

It's not really certain when formal burials happened. They may (as in the case of Turkana Boy) just left the dead where they lay.

Originally posted by Byrd
There may not be any remains there to find. Rock shelters were commonly used by a lot of people, but they didn't usually bury their dead in rock shelters.

It's not really certain when formal burials happened. They may (as in the case of Turkana Boy) just left the dead where they lay.

I thought there was some evidence that the Neanderthals buried their dead, some remains found with grave goods and flowers.

reply to post by Pauligirl


It is disputed!

300,000 years ago – first (disputed) evidence of intentional burial of the dead. Sites such as Atapuerca in Spain, which has bones of over 32 individuals in a pit within a cave.

130,000 years ago – Earliest undisputed evidence for intentional burial. Neanderthals bury their dead at sites such as Krapina in Croatia.

100,000 years ago – The oldest known ritual burial of modern humans at Qafzeh in Israel: a double burial of what is thought to be a mother and child. The bones have been stained with red ochre. By 100,000 years ago anatomically modern humans migrated to the middle east from Africa. However the fossil record of these humans ends after 100kya, leading scholars to believe that population either died out or returned to Africa.

100,000 to 50,000 years ago – Increased use of red ochre at several Middle Stone Age sites. Red Ochre is thought to have played an important role in ritual.

50,000 years ago – Humans have evolved the traits associated with modern human behavior. Much of the evidence comes from Late Stone Age sites in Africa. Modern human behavior includes abilities such as modern language, abstract thought, symbolism and religion.

42,000 years ago – Ritual burial of a man at Lake Mungo in Australia. The body is sprinkled with copious amounts of red ochre - seen as evidence that the Australians had brought along with them religious rituals from Africa.

40,000 years ago – Upper Paleolithic begins in Europe. An abundance of fossil evidence includes elaborate burials of the dead, Venus figurines and cave art. Venus figurines are thought to represent fertility goddesses. The cave paintings at Chauvet and Lascaux are believed to represent religious thought.

30,000 years ago – Earliest known burial of a shaman.

11,000 years ago – The Neolithic Revolution begins- and burial becomes common place for many cultures.

Link to the time line above

I'm wondering if the evidence people are seeking is now under the Persian gulf.

How long ago was the Gulf area dry and for how long? The article I've read said about 100,00 years ago. Could it have been a large fertile valley even farther back, say 200,000 years ago or more? Anybody remember the article about the Persian gulf being a large fertile valley once upon a time before it was flooded out by the last Ice melt off?

People would have found the area in question very pleasant to live in and migrate through with plenty of fresh water from the rivers running through it. I'm sure there were plenty of either local grazing and migratory animals that would have passed through the area.

Just another outside the box thought from you know who


Lost Civilization May Have Existed Beneath the Persian Gulf

Veiled beneath the Persian Gulf, a once-fertile landmass may have supported some of the earliest humans outside Africa some 75,000 to 100,000 years ago, a new review of research suggests.

At its peak, the floodplain now below the Gulf would have been about the size of Great Britain, and then shrank as water began to flood the area. Then, about 8,000 years ago, the land would have been swallowed up by the Indian Ocean, the review scientist said.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Some work has been done in that area. It is the contention of many that the Ubaidians may have come from there or more properly evolved out of people who moved up out of that valley as it slowly flooded into the area of the TE.

PDF of one such study of the later Ubaidians and sea trade

However what has been found so far with the Ubaidians and the later Dilmun doesn't point to a full civilizations until much later. I spent many years walking those beaches and water sources, fishing the waters and didn't find any excessive (as caused by a population density) amount of stone tool or pottery manufactury. I would suspect that the the Arabian Gulf valley was inhabited by hunter-gathers and by the time when it began to flood perhaps, pre-agricultural groups, which later flowered into the Ubaidians.

reply to post by Hanslune


Hans..

Thanks for the reply. I wasn't so much trying to say that there was a "Civilization" way back then as much as there is some evidence that suggests there were people living there before the Gulf was flooded out. The question is [Setting the civilization aspect ] aside how far back was the ancient fertile valley inhabited? Also by whom? Homo Sapien Sapiens or Neanderthals etc? If so. Which was there first and did they coexist? interbred? fought each other? etc

Again, I was just speculating that if there is evidence to suggest that there was some sort of Culture/civilization there once upon a time that it's roots may indeed go much further back to a time and possibly be contemporary to the OPs findings...


I feel the now flooded Gulf region is the key to a better understanding of our development towards modern man.

ETA: I could write more but I don't want to derail the thread with the discussion of said location being the source for various religious beliefs/stories/myths about "Eden and the great flood" etc.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Agreed; we should do a 'The unknown history of the Arabian Gulf Valley', thread, actually I think some one somewhere has stuck a name on that previous existing valley; a Danish dude perhaps?

Originally posted by Hanslune
reply to post by Pauligirl

 

It is disputed!

300,000 years ago – first (disputed) evidence of intentional burial of the dead. Sites such as Atapuerca in Spain, which has bones of over 32 individuals in a pit within a cave.

130,000 years ago – Earliest undisputed evidence for intentional burial. Neanderthals bury their dead at sites such as Krapina in Croatia.

100,000 years ago – The oldest known ritual burial of modern humans at Qafzeh in Israel: a double burial of what is thought to be a mother and child. The bones have been stained with red ochre. By 100,000 years ago anatomically modern humans migrated to the middle east from Africa. However the fossil record of these humans ends after 100kya, leading scholars to believe that population either died out or returned to Africa.

100,000 to 50,000 years ago – Increased use of red ochre at several Middle Stone Age sites. Red Ochre is thought to have played an important role in ritual.

50,000 years ago – Humans have evolved the traits associated with modern human behavior. Much of the evidence comes from Late Stone Age sites in Africa. Modern human behavior includes abilities such as modern language, abstract thought, symbolism and religion.

42,000 years ago – Ritual burial of a man at Lake Mungo in Australia. The body is sprinkled with copious amounts of red ochre - seen as evidence that the Australians had brought along with them religious rituals from Africa.

40,000 years ago – Upper Paleolithic begins in Europe. An abundance of fossil evidence includes elaborate burials of the dead, Venus figurines and cave art. Venus figurines are thought to represent fertility goddesses. The cave paintings at Chauvet and Lascaux are believed to represent religious thought.

30,000 years ago – Earliest known burial of a shaman.

11,000 years ago – The Neolithic Revolution begins- and burial becomes common place for many cultures.

Link to the time line above

The oldest site at Lake Mungo Australia has been dated to around 63,000 years and the oldest (so far) evidence of Australian Aboriginals is a rock shelter in the Pilbara desert region dating to 87,000 years.

It is well and truly disputed. Methinks the writer of the OP's article needs to brush upon their current day facts....