JatimVoice.com – A groundbreaking archaeological discovery in the Madura Strait, separating Java and Madura islands, has unearthed an underwater hominid fossil site that could reshape our understanding of human history and Earth's past. The site provides compelling evidence of Sundaland, an ancient submerged continent lost to rising sea levels at the end of the last Ice Age.
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| Image was generated by Grok 3 |
Led by archaeologist Harold Berghuis from Leiden University, the research team uncovered two Homo erectus skull fragments, dated between 119,000 and 162,000 years old, alongside over 6,000 vertebrate fossils, including komodo dragons, buffalo, deer, and the extinct Stegodon, an ancient elephant species.
Marks on the fossils suggest Homo erectus used weapons for hunting, challenging previous assumptions about the cognitive abilities of this species. Berghuis noted that Sundaland’s disappearance, driven by melting glaciers between 14,000 and 7,000 years ago, likely created an ideal environment for Homo erectus, particularly in the late Middle Pleistocene’s drier climate. The findings, published in ScienceDirect, are still under further development.
The site, located in a submerged river valley covered by sand deposits, revealed evidence of complex hunting and dietary practices, including cut marks on freshwater turtle bones and fractured cattle bones, indicating bone marrow consumption. These behaviors differ from earlier Homo erectus populations in Java and suggest possible interactions or genetic exchange with modern human groups from mainland Asia.
Berghuis highlighted that the fossils, dated to the penultimate glacial period when global sea levels were 100 meters lower due to water locked in polar ice, offer a unique glimpse into Sundaland’s lost history. “Our research, detailed in four comprehensive illustrated articles, opens a window into Sundaland’s submerged past around 140,000 years ago,” he told Beritasatu.com on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Tags
archaeology
fossil discovery
Homo erectus
human history
hunting behavior
Madura Strait
national
Pleistocene
submerged continent
Sundaland
underwater fossils