🇲🇦 Morocco | Safi | Jebel Irhoud

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🔲 Summary
Jebel Irhoud, is an archaeological site in Morocco, located west of the city of Marrakesh. This site holds significant importance due to the discovery of some of the oldest fossils of modern humans (Homo Sapiens) ever found.
🔲 Archaeology
The first human fossils were discovered at the site in 1961. Later excavations uncovered more fossils. In 2017, it was announced that the fossils found here were dated to approximately 300,000 years old, making them the oldest known remains of modern humans. This has important implications for our understanding of the evolution of Homo Sapiens.
🔲 Findings
The site has yielded skulls, jaws, teeth, and other bones of at least five individuals. Stone tools and animal bones with cut marks have also been found, indicating the presence of early human activity and their hunting practices.
🔲 Scientific Importance
The discovery of these fossils suggests that Homo Sapiens may not have originated from a single "Garden of Eden" in East Africa as previously thought, but that the species spread over a much larger area of Africa. The morphology of the fossils shows a mix of modern and archaic features, complicating our understanding of the transition to modern humans. The stone tools found at Jebel Ighoud belong to the Middle Paleolithic culture, indicating that these early Homo sapiens were already making advanced tools.