How could one place provide so much information and yet cause so many more questions to be asked?
So far, after having only excavated a very small portion of the fossil bone bearing areas of the cave, the finds are one of the richest and most unusual bone assemblages of human ancestors found to date.
It's the largest collection of one primitive species found yet, in Africa.
Neanderthals and other more recent species are well preserved in Europe, but the species leading up to these, most likely Homonin in Africa, are often only represented by a couple of teeth and a few fragments of bone.
Not so... with Homo Naledi, the newest member of the family tree, from the rising star cave system.
We now have teeth and bones of at least 15 individuals from one chamber and a few other individuals from another totally separate chamber.
Both of these separate chambers contained a reasonably complete skeleton, each with a reasonably well preserved skull.
That's not one but 2 skeletons! of the same homonin species!
Up till now finding more than a few fossil teeth was great news, but in this cave system, multiple of some of the most complete skeletons ever are being revealed.
This is groundbreaking in the fields of Hominin research.
Not only that, the bones are found lying in the dirt, not encased in hard rock as they usually are in other dolomite caves in South Africa.
Scientists that first examined the finds judged the species to be 2-3 million years old based on the fact that its brain is about the size of an orange and the skull has very primitive features.
However the teeth were pretty much like modern humans and the rest of the skeleton is a mix and match of very primitive and very modern bone structures and features.
Very modern hands and feet, but very primitive shoulders and other body parts, with a small brain but modern teeth, with some extremely worn indicating old age.
Scientists were left scratching their heads.
To add to the perplexities, the species looked old but the bone deposits looked relatively young. That was my first impression, when looking at details of the excavation and since I know the caves in the area relatively well, having explored many of them over the years.
Then there was the even more curious manner in which the bones came to be accumulated. The least complex explanation, now with even more likelihood, since the discovery of a second similar deposit, is that this primitive species disposed of their dead.
Systematic disposing of the dead was one of the last traits considered to be uniquely human... but now we have this seemingly primitive species, with a brain the size of an orange disposing of their dead.
WOW, what next.
Now that the deposit has been rigorously dated even more questions are starting to arise along with some tantalizing hints at answers to other pressing questions in hominin evolution.
@gavvet the cave man...nice post
LOL, I prefer troglodyte, it sound so much more sophisticated.
Ok, that's funny!
'Troglodyte' I like that word too. New to my hearing today. Learned something new. Thank you so much.
Archaeology is totally fascinating. Looking forward to more, expectedly on the aging bit.
It's my most enduring hobby
Really enjoyed this post, Gavin. I hadn't twigged to the fact the skeletons were found in dirt rather than a rock matrix until reading this.
yup, super extraordinary this is for us, totally bucks the trend.
I have been to Maroepeng 3 times. Twice with family and once on a school trip. The discoveries being made are quite incredible. My last trip was shortly after the announcement of the Rising Star hollow...
Maropeng is great, but its even better exploring the many caves in the are that are not commercialized.
You have no idea how badly I would love to do that! I live about 2 hours away...
Which direction?
I am in Witbank, Mpumalanga... 140 Km East of pretoria.
Good geology out that way, Karroo beds have nice fossils, I found fossil tracks in the Sand stones when working at the power stations like Kriel and Ermelo
Congratulations @gavvet!
Your post was mentioned in my hit parade in the following categories:
that's post interestid and sientific.
I have read your post I just responded that the research provided important informatio.
From posil and bone found to indicate that the existence of human life in the past. And that's not necessarily a primeval man. In theory which states that humans derived from my own apes are less sure because the first man who lives on earth is adam
Did Adam have a belly button(navel)?
maybe there is
Does Adam have a belly button? I believe we can say, "No - Adam has no navel or Eve."
Why? Because your navel is a sign that you've connected with your mother. You depend on the 'lifeline' - the umbilical cord - to get your nutrients from your mother's body as you grow in them.
Girl with belly button showing. Courtesy of Films for Christ's copyrighted photo.
But our first parents, Adam and Eve, did not grow that way. I believe that God will not make a 'wrong sign' on their body as if they had ever grown in a mother's womb.
When God created Adam and Eve in the form of adults, on the day they were created, they may already look like, say, a 30-year-old man. But God does not want or feel the need to create a form that does not depict real history, because a tree created by God in the form of an adult need not have a cambium circle in their suitcase. The things that grow in their descendants are the result of further developments.
What's more, it will be an amazing proof of God's creativity. Ken Ham once explained it this way: The absence of a belly button on Adam and Eve will be one of the greatest attractions of the time before the Flood, as their grandchild and great-grandchildren will come and ask, "Why do grandparents not And Grandma has a belly button?" And they will remember , From generation to generation, about how God created it specifically in a miraculous way, and also designed it to reproduce and fill the earth in a natural way as part of the will of God. Continuous maintenance for what He has created.
I would love to see the scriptural evidence for any of the above... it looks like pure supposition and extrapolation to me... I could just as easily suppose the opposite and who would be correct? the facts are that there is insufficient detail and its not up to us to invent details.
"The LORD God made man out of the dust of the earth ... And the LORD God made man sleep well, and as he slept, the LORD God took one of the ribs from the place, and covered the place with flesh And from the rib of the LORD God From the man, he built a woman, and brought him to the man. "
-Events 2: 7,21-22
This could be allegorical too... as scripture often is, symbolizing the closeness, oneness, unity and partnership that should exist between husband and wife.
Precisely, Genesis is about WHY the creation took place but is short on specific details of exactly how and exactly what.
The rocks and fossils of the Earth record that detail and it is ours to discover through scientific processes.
Scientifically that is our discovery. Whether you do not believe in what the Qur'an speaks of. That the first man on earth is adam
The first with the breath of life... perhaps others functioned on a different level? there can be multiple firsts when things progress and change.
How do you mean
If you want to find an answer based on the rationalization you can receive and if there is any source or reference specifically addressing the issue. I try to search on the internet maybe a lot of writing that can answer that problem. It turns out that there is not much writing to discuss the matter and the answer can not be satisfactory. Until now I still have not found the answer to the question "Does Prophet Adam have a Naval?" Which is satisfactory. If only someone had helped me answer that question of course I would be grateful for the addition of new knowledge that I have not understood
Anyone interested in learning about human origins should study some of Zechariah Sitchin's work. He dedicated his life to translating ancient Sumerian texts. His work is truly fascinating.
Interesting reads, but the Sumerians seemed quite fond of hyperbole.
I wonder what kind of tooth paste they used back then? Pretty good looking teeth.
No sweets... natural diet, makes a huge difference.
Very interesting matters. Wierd really, that these things that happened so long ago can still boggle our minds. I'm looking forward to the next one @gavvet.
I love the super ancient bogglery the most... I guess that's why I have always collected prehistoric tools since I was a kid.
Really interesting post. Looking forward to more on this!
Thanks, great, I hope not to disappoint.
Really enjoy the posts about maropeng! Also visited some time ago and enjoyed the journey tremendously
Did you catch Sterkfontein as well? it's a lot less touristy.
Yes its great but my wife does not like enclosed spaces so the visit was far to short!
Have they determined a date yet when Naledi lived?
The scientific papers came out a week or two ago and its a shocker...
You can catch up quickly with the videos in this post https://steemit.com/science/@gavvet/rewriting-the-story-of-human-origins
but I will be giving my views in further posts.
Awesome,,So interesting.!!
Is the best post..
Thanks for sharing..
Upvote and Resteem.!!
Dear friend @gavvet, have a nice day. :)
please read also here
https://steemit.com/writing/@ijoel/does-prophet-adam-have-a-belly-button
Nice post ! Made me curious about civilization and its science .
Upvoted and resteemed !
Cool posts from you @gavvet
I like it...
Upvote & Resteem ^_^
Hello my friend
Happy day for you and for every family
Actually some discovery remains human by good paleontologists
The present man wants to know how man lived in the past
I was asking a lot when I saw the pharaoh in my country how their lives were
*** Happy day Please do not forget my support ****
@gavvet this is so interesting 😱
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nice...your post deserve upvote and resteem...
Nice Post! Thumbs up! Upvoted and followed!
I would like to see an illustration of what they might have looked like.
Here you go...
Hmm interesting. He looks a bit Asian
Great to see some paleoanthropology on steemit!
--a paleoanthropology student
Great, you will have to share...
Thank you for interesting content keep it coming.
@gavvet Great post! Thanks man. followed and upvote :)