Fossilised facial bones from a possible unknown human species, nicknamed “Pink,” discovered in Spain’s Sima del Elefante cave
Archaeologists in Spain have unearthed fossilised facial bones dating back between 1.1 and 1.4 million years, making them among the oldest human remains ever found in Europe. Discovered in the Sima del Elefante cave near Burgos, the bones—nicknamed “Pink” after Pink Floyd—may belong to a previously unknown species in the human evolutionary tree.
Pink’s facial structure is more primitive than that of Homo antecessor, the species believed to have inhabited Western Europe around 850,000 years ago. Unlike the modern-like midface of Homo antecessor, Pink’s features are more pronounced and massive, resembling but differing from Homo erectus, the first human species to migrate from Africa.
Scientists suggest that the fossils, comprising 80% of an adult individual’s left midface—including parts of the cheekbone, upper jaw, and nasal structure—could indicate a new species, provisionally named Homo affinis erectus. If confirmed, this would push back the timeline of human migration into Europe.
Embed from Getty Images“This discovery opens a new line of research into early human evolution in Europe,” said lead archaeologist Rosa Huguet, whose findings were published in Nature.
Previously, fossils found in Dmanisi, Georgia, dated to 1.8 million years ago, were considered the earliest evidence of humans in Europe. However, Pink’s remains were unearthed in a sediment layer older than a previously discovered jawbone at Sima del Elefante, suggesting that human ancestors may have arrived in Western Europe far earlier than previously thought.
Scientists are now conducting advanced imaging and 3D analysis to reconstruct Pink’s full face and determine its evolutionary significance. This remarkable find could reshape our understanding of early human migration and adaptation in Europe.
