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The earliest modern humans outside Africa.

Author
Abstract
:

To date, the earliest modern human fossils found outside of Africa are dated to around 90,000 to 120,000 years ago at the Levantine sites of Skhul and Qafzeh. A maxilla and associated dentition recently discovered at Misliya Cave, Israel, was dated to 177,000 to 194,000 years ago, suggesting that members of the Homo sapiens clade left Africa earlier than previously thought. This finding changes our view on modern human dispersal and is consistent with recent genetic studies, which have posited the possibility of an earlier dispersal of Homo sapiens around 220,000 years ago. The Misliya maxilla is associated with full-fledged Levallois technology in the Levant, suggesting that the emergence of this technology is linked to the appearance of Homo sapiens in the region, as has been documented in Africa.

Year of Publication
:
2018
Journal
:
Science (New York, N.Y.)
Volume
:
359
Issue
:
6374
Number of Pages
:
456-459
Date Published
:
2018
ISSN Number
:
0036-8075
DOI
:
10.1126/science.aap8369
Short Title
:
Science
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