Europeans Discovered Ukraine 1.4M Years Ago, Study Reveals

A recent study published in the prestigious journal Nature has revealed that the first Europeans reached Ukraine 1.4 million years ago, much earlier than previously thought. The study, led by an international team of researchers from the Czech Academy of Sciences and Aarhus University, dated a layer of stone tools found at an archaeological site on the Tysa River in western Ukraine known as Korolevo.

The tools were made in the Oldowan style, the most primitive form of tool-making, which originated in east Africa about 2.6 million years ago and spread to other regions. The Oldowan tools consist of simple cores and flakes that were used for cutting, chopping, and scraping. Similar tools have also been found at the oldest known sites of human occupation in Europe, such as Dmanisi in Georgia and Barranco León in Spain.

The tools at Korolevo were discovered by workers at a stone quarry in 1974 and were later excavated by the Ukrainian archaeologist V. N. Gladilin. The tools were buried by river sediment and later by wind-blown dust, preserving them from weathering and erosion. The site is located near a former castle that was destroyed during World War II.

The researchers used an innovative dating method based on cosmogenic nuclides, which are rare isotopes that form in surface rocks because of bombardment by high-energy cosmic rays from outer space. These cosmic rays penetrate the atmosphere and interact with minerals in rocks and soils, producing radioactive nuclides such as beryllium-10, aluminium-26, and chlorine-36. By measuring the concentration of these nuclides in quartz crystals extracted from the rocks, the researchers could calculate how long the rocks have been exposed to cosmic rays at the Earth’s surface.

The results showed that the tools at Korolevo predate the most recent reversal of the Earth’s magnetic field, which occurred 0.8 million years ago and is recorded in volcanic rocks around the world. This means that the tools are at least 1.4 million years old, making them the oldest evidence of human presence in Europe.

The study also suggests that the early humans who made the tools were not modern humans (Homo sapiens), but an earlier species of hominin, such as Homo erectus or Homo antecessor. These hominins migrated from Africa to Europe during warm periods in Earth’s history, known as interglacials, when glaciers retreated and new landscapes emerged. They adapted to different environments and climates, and developed diverse cultures and behaviors.

The discovery of Korolevo challenges the previous view that Europe was colonized by humans relatively late in human evolution, around 0.5 million years ago. It also sheds light on the origins and diversity of early human cultures and their adaptation to different environments. It demonstrates the potential of cosmogenic nuclide dating to provide reliable age estimates for ancient sites that are beyond the reach of conventional methods.

The researchers analyzed more than 100 stone tools from Korolevo, including choppers, bifacial flakes, multiplatform cores, Kombewa flakes, and flakes with parallel scars. They found that most of them were made from basaltic porphyry, a volcanic rock that outcrops near the site. They also found traces of use-wear on some of the tools, indicating that they were used for various tasks such as cutting wood or animal skin.

The researchers estimated that the total number of stone tools at Korolevo could be around 10,000, making it one of the largest Paleolithic sites in Europe. They also compared the tools with those from other sites across Eurasia and Africa, and found that they share some similarities with those from east Africa and Asia, but also show some regional variations.

The researchers concluded that Korolevo represents a unique case of early human colonization of Europe from the east, possibly following a route along river valleys or coastlines. They suggested that further research is needed to explore other sites in eastern Europe and Asia that could provide more clues about this migration process.

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