Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4725446 | Quaternary Geochronology | 2010 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
Several hominid remains have been discovered in the open-air site of Dmanisi (Georgia), the oldest prehistoric site in Eurasia. Two major arguments prove that this site is close in age to the Plio-Pleistocene boundary: a Villafranchian fauna and the morphological characteristics of hominid remains recently ascribed to Homo georgicus. Direct dating of the lower hominid-bearing level was carried out on volcanic glass and minerals using the 40Ar/39Ar method. The concordant results from two different sampled locations allow the determination of the age of the earliest human presence in Eurasia. This radioisotopic result strengthens the argument that the first dispersal of hominids outside Africa occurred at least 1.8 Ma ago.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Geochemistry and Petrology
Authors
Tristan Garcia, Gilbert Féraud, Christophe Falguères, Henry de Lumley, Christian Perrenoud, David Lordkipanidze,