Jebel Irhoud fossils push Homo sapiens origin back to 300,000 years ago. Fossil remains discovered at Jebel Irhoud in Morocco in 2017 Bones identified as Homo sapiens with modern-looking skulls, faces, and teeth Dated to approximately 300,000 years ago, pushing back origin of modern humans by around 100,000 years
In 2017, researchers discovered Homo sapiens remains at Jebel Irhoud in Morocco with modern-looking skulls, faces, and teeth dated to around 300,000 years ago—pushing back human origins by roughly 100,000 years. This site lies thousands of kilometers from traditional East African origin theories. Genetics confirm deep population structures across sub-Saharan Africa, with Khoisan peoples carrying genetic signatures branching off earlier than any other living population, possibly representing 200,000 years of separate lineage.
Key Facts
- Fossil remains discovered at Jebel Irhoud in Morocco in 2017
- Bones identified as Homo sapiens with modern-looking skulls, faces, and teeth
- Dated to approximately 300,000 years ago, pushing back origin of modern humans by around 100,000 years
- Morocco is thousands of kilometers from traditional East African origin sites
- Genetics confirm deep population structures across sub-Saharan Africa with multiple lineages diverging hundreds of thousands of years ago
- Khoisan peoples carry genetic signatures branching off earlier than any other living population, possibly 200,000 years of separate lineage
Related site: Jebel Irhoud — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Scientists Keep Finding Humans Where They Shouldn’t Be by Michael Button