Narmada Man skull cap
When it comes to South Asia the emergence of modern Homo sapiens is hotly contested due to gaps in the fossil record. One controversial fossil find from this region is a partial cranium from Hathnora in India. This solitary cranium has been dated at about 250 kyr and the debate centers around just exactly what are we looking at here. Some researchers believe this skull is from an evolved H. erectus while other believe it is from an archaic H. sapien or H. heidelbergensis.
Some researchers believe that this cranium along with other fossil remains known as the “Narmada fossils” support the presence of three hominins in the region long ago specifically one early modern and two archaic. In one find a femur and calvarium (skullcap) was found and these are believed to be from a large bodied species possibly similar to H. heidelbergensis or even a South Asian variation (hybrid) of H. heidelbergensis. Acheulian tools were also found with this specimen. Continue Reading
