Dmanisi homini, what is it, what's interesting, everything. I thought this question deserved its own post. But you made this post so many hours ago, please disregard if someone else has already asked. Hope your day is kind to you.
No, you're the only one who is kind enough to ask me about the very niche interests I have :D And I am very grateful for that!
Dmanisi hominins 🎉
Terminology: Hominids are all humans (Homo) and their closest extinct relatives. Dmanisi hominids are technically Homo erectus but with some distinctions (like, they were much shorter).
Preamble: So, one of the earliest human species we know is Homo habilis (“skilled man,” because he was so good at using tools — rocks, baby), around 2.5 million years ago. Where did he live? Africa. The OG continent.
Next up: Homo erectus. Better posture (straighten your back, it’s not 2.5 million BC, reader), first to control fire around 1.7 million years ago. Still in Africa — modern-day Kenya and Ethiopia.
For a long time, scientists thought humans stayed in Africa until about 600,000–800,000 years ago, and only then started moving into Eurasia.
BUT
In 1991, in Dmanisi (Eurasia, not the U.S. state lol), they found a mandible (I heard you like those) stuck in rock next to rhinoceros bones and saber-toothed cat skulls. And it was dated to 1.8 million years ago.
Meaning: humans left Africa way earlier than we thought. Like, much earlier.
Later, they found five skulls there: three adult men, one young girl, and one old man who had lost all his teeth (which usually means someone was taking care of him).
They probably lived thousands of years apart. But I choose to believe it was one slightly unhinged little Dmanisi family who said “what if we just… left.”
Some pics below
