Archaeologists Discover Human Footprints Dating Back 115,000 Years in Unusual Location

Archaeologists in northern Saudi Arabia have uncovered a rare set of human footprints, estimated to be around 115,000 years old, preserved in an ancient mudhole. The impressions were found among hundreds of prehistoric animal tracks, suggesting the area was a natural gathering spot rather than a hunting site.

The discovery, made in 2017 in the Nefud Desert at a site called "Alathar," reveals human presence on the Arabian Peninsula during the onset of a subsequent ice age. Scientists determined the age of the footprints using isotopic analysis and contextual evidence, similar to carbon dating techniques.

The unique preservation of the footprints is attributed to the exceptional conditions of the ancient mud. Researchers note that modern experiments show footprints in mud lose their detail within days, emphasizing how extraordinary these fossilized prints are. This precise preservation allows scientists to confidently link all seven footprints to the same period.

Analysis indicates that the tracks were likely made by early Homo sapiens. The absence of Neanderthal fossils in the region at that time, along with the size and shape of the prints, supports this identification. The area around Alathar appears to have functioned as a natural corridor, attracting large animals and humans alike to access freshwater during seasonal migrations.

Interestingly, no evidence of hunting, such as cut marks on bones or tools, was found, suggesting that humans visited this temporary lakeshore primarily to drink. Scientists conclude that the footprints offer a glimpse into brief, strategic use of water sources by early humans during a dry period of the last interglacial.

These findings highlight the movement patterns of early humans in Arabia and provide a rare look at how environmental conditions influenced their behavior more than 100,000 years ago.

Author: Chloe Ramirez