A team of archaeologists in Israel has uncovered a cave that provides rare evidence of human-like pre-Neanderthal creatures inhabiting the region approximately 400,000 years ago, making it one of only a handful of sites from this distant era.
The cave is situated near Fureidis, a town in northern Israel, and came to the attention of researchers when construction activity threatened the site. When archaeologists initially examined the cave in the 1970s, they estimated that it was used around 200,000 years ago, according to Kobi Vardi, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority.
However, Vardi and his partner Ron Shimelmitz, an associate professor of archaeology at the University of Haifa, has now revealed that the site is significantly older than previously believed, with evidence of habitation reaching back 400,000 years.
Speaking to CNN, Vardi said, "it was a big surprise" to discover that the cave was much older than earlier estimates had suggested. The site would have been inhabited by the Acheulo-Yabrudian culture, who lived throughout the Levant and surrounding regions of the Near East during the 400,000 to 250,000 year period.
This cave in Fureidis is “a unique site of global importance,” Shimelmitz said on June 11 in a statement published by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Such discoveries help us understand human prehistory—and they are remarkably rare. Imagine if the Roman city of Pompeii had not been found, or if Howard Carter had not come across King Tut's tomb. Thankfully, archaeologists have discovered these treasures and many other historic sites, impressive monuments, and valuable artifacts.
Take a look through the gallery and explore some of the most significant archaeological discoveries in history.