JERUSALEM (JTA) — Eight teeth found in a cave in central Israel are reportedly the earliest remains of Homo sapiens ever discovered.
The teeth, discovered in a cave near Rosh Haayin, east of Tel Aviv, have been estimated to be about 400,000 years old. If the initial findings are confirmed, it would overturn accepted scientific theory that Homo sapiens, the direct descendent of modern man, evolved in Africa about 200,000 years ago and migrated north.
The find, discovered by a team of international archeologists under the auspices of Tel Aviv University, was announced Monday.
The study was funded by the government of Spain, the American Museum of Natural History, the Israel Science Foundation and philanthropic groups, including the Irene Levi Sala CARE Archaeological Foundation and the Leakey Foundation.
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