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Ancient Skull Reveals Complex European Prehistory, Dating Back 286,000 Years

9/6/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers dated the Petralona cranium from Greece to at least 286,000 years using uranium-series dating.
This dating situates the skull in the Middle Pleistocene, previously estimated between 170,000 and 700,000 years.
The study suggests the skull may belong to Homo heidelbergensis, separate from Neanderthals and modern humans.
New evidence shows the skull was likely moved before being sealed in stone, altering views on European prehistory.
Findings indicate archaic humans coexisted with early Neanderthals around 300,000 years ago, highlighting Europe's complex human history.

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Story summary

Researchers dated the Petralona cranium from Greece to at least 286,000 years using uranium-series dating.
This dating situates the skull in the Middle Pleistocene, previously estimated between 170,000 and 700,000 years.
The study suggests the skull may belong to Homo heidelbergensis, separate from Neanderthals and modern humans.
New evidence shows the skull was likely moved before being sealed in stone, altering views on European prehistory.
Findings indicate archaic humans coexisted with early Neanderthals around 300,000 years ago, highlighting Europe's complex human history.