Dmanisi Early Human Archaeological Site

Dmanisi Early Human Archaeological Site

In 2005, skeletal fossils of early humans known as the Dmanisi people were unearthed in the medieval village of Dmanisi in Georgia’s Kvemo Kartli region. Dating back approximately 1.8 million years, they represent the oldest human remains ever found outside of Africa. The fossils—including skulls, jawbones, and limb bone fragments—suggest that human ancestors migrated out of Africa much earlier than previously thought. These early humans were more primitive compared to Homo erectus, which scientists have long believed were the first to leave Africa around 1 million years ago.

Studies of the five discovered skulls and one isolated jawbone fossil led scientists to conclude that the early humans who lived in this region had very small brains, about one-third the size of modern humans. They had significantly smaller brains, lower limbs similar to those of modern humans, but more primitive upper limbs. They had already mastered the creation of basic stone tools. Based on the study of the Dmanisi early human fossils, they should be classified as belonging to the Homo habilis species due to their small brain size. Their brow ridges were not as thick as those typically seen in Homo erectus, though their teeth were closer in resemblance. The discovery of the Dmanisi early human site will help us research the origins and evolution of early humans, as well as their relationships with other hominin species.