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CSI Paleolithic — The First Murder Ever
Is it too soon to crack bad jokes?
Time of death: 430,000 BC (estimated)
Crime Scene: Some cave in Spain.
Murder weapon: Stone spear.
Killer: Extinct.
This is . . .
CSI: Paleolithic.
Crime Scene
Sima de los Huesos is a chasm in the Burgos province of Spain that contains several remains of Neandertals and their ancestors. It was officially discovered in 1975 by mining engineer Trinidad de Torres.
Trinidad found a jawbone and recognized the cave may hold archaeological significance. Excavations started in 1984. Today, Sima de los Huesos is part of the larger Atepuerca archaeological site and is only accessible through the entrance.
This site contains remains as old as 800,000 years, which is among the earliest known human activity in Europe. By “human,” I don’t mean H. sapiens. These humans were H. antecessor, who are probable ancestors of Neandertals.
Sima de los Huesos contains remains from a little bit later than the earliest remains in the complex. It’s often associated with H. heidelburgensis and a species closely related to Denisovans.
