A recent study led by Dr Rosa Huguet and published in Nature presents a fragment of a human facial bone designated ATE7-1 and nicknamed Pink. This fossil, discovered at level 7 of Sima del Elefante (TE7) site in the Sierra de Atapuerca complex, dates between 1.1 and 1.4 million years, making it the oldest known face in Western Europe. Classified as Homo aff. erectus, it provides key insights into early hominin evolution in Europe during the Lower Pleistocene.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Institut de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES) and the Centro Nacional de Investigación en Evolución Humana (CENIEH), with contributions from various national and international institutions. The fossil was recovered in multiple fragments during the 2022 fieldwork season, requiring extensive restoration using traditional and 3D analysis techniques. It corresponds to a fragment of the left side of an adult’s face.
A two-year study confirmed that ATE7-1 does not belong to Homo antecessor, previously identified and described at level TD6 of the nearby site of Gran Dolina. Instead, its morphology is more primitive, featuring a flat, non-prominent nose, similar to Homo antecessor. However, its exact classification remains uncertain, leading researchers to assign it to Homo aff. erectus.
The TE7 level, dated between 1.1 and 1.4 million years, is significantly older than TD6 (860,000 years), suggesting Pink may be part of an earlier migratory wave from Africa.
The study of the archaeological remains from level TE7 provides context for the ecosystem in which Pink lived, allowing researchers to infer aspects of its behaviour. Paleoecological data indicate that TE7’s landscape was resource-rich, consisting of a mix of woodland, open and humid grassland, and seasonal spring waters. Lithic artefacts made from quartz and flint, although simple, were effective and versatile. Taphonomic analysis also revealed a cut mark on a rib fragment from a small animal, suggesting that a hominin deliberately extracted meat using a lithic tool. These findings imply that ATE7-1 was well acquainted with its environment and systematically exploited its available resources.
This discovery represents a crucial advancement in comprehending early human presence in Europe. ATE7-1 offers evidence of ancient hominin dispersals, emphasising Atapuerca’s significance in palaeoanthropological research. Future studies will elucidate its evolutionary importance and connections to other hominin species.
Institute of Ancient Near Eastern Studies – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (IEPOA-UAB)
Historian (University of Salamanca, 2012) and PhD in Prehistory (MNHN Paris & UNIFE Ferrara, 2020, Erasmus Mundus IDQP), specializes in zooarchaeology and Paleolithic paleoenvironments. He completed a master’s in Quaternary Archaeology (URV Tarragona) and received the "Emilie Campmas 2020" award for his doctoral thesis. Currently a postdoctoral researcher at UNED and associate of IPHES and CNRS, he focuses on Neanderthal and modern human subsistence strategies. He co-directs the El Castillo Cave excavation (Spain) and contributes to major research projects in Tanzania (Olduvai Gorge), Spain (Sierra de Atapuerca), Kenya (Lake Turkana), and key sites like Abric Romaní and Cova Gran de Collbató.