Early humans in Indonesia for 1 million years

National Geographic News

Newfound stone tools suggest the evolutionary history of the "hobbits" on the Indonesian island of Flores stretches back a million years, a new study says—200,000 years longer than previously thought. The hobbit mystery was sparked by the 2004 discovery of bones on Flores that belonged to a three-foot-tall (one-meter-tall), 55-pound (25-kilogram) female with a grapefruit-size brain. The tiny, hobbit-like creature—controversially dubbed a new human species, Homo floresiensis—persisted on the remote island until about 18,000 years ago, even as "modern" humans spread around the world, experts say.

The stone-and-bone record had suggested that the hobbits' ancestors—perhaps upright-walking-but-small-brained Homo erectus—left Africa about 1.5 million years ago and reached Flores by 880,000 years ago.

Once there, it's been thought, the hobbit ancestors quickly hunted a pygmy elephant species and a giant tortoise species to extinction.

ATS Flores Hobbit
ATS Flores Hobbit 2


Zelong.

Hobbitses? We hates hobbitses.
Nasties are they, with hairy foots.


Trying to thing of something on topic but can't. People-like things have been around for a long time though.

Apa kabar?

That report does not make sense. If the "hobbits" left africa 1.5 M years ago and traveled to Indonesia arriving there 880,000 years ago, then we should see a record of their travel and signs of their passage elsewhere. Where are the hobbit bones in Africa? Where are the hobbit bones along the way?

More likely they adapted to local conditions over generations and through genetic drift or mutation and became small only after they arrived in Indonesia. I suspect it is more an isolated tribe changing over generations than a group of small people who traveled all the way from Africa. Bad Science, no donut.

Sampai Jumpa Lagi.

Hi Zelong,

If it's alright with you I'll copy my post to your thread since we both started a thread on the same subject;

Stone tools discovered on the island on Flores, amid a layer of volcanic rock were dated to 1,000,000 YBP, and are being credited to "Homo floresiensis" aka the Hobbit.

Newfound stone tools suggest the evolutionary history of the "hobbits" on the Indonesian island of Flores stretches back a million years, a new study says—200,000 years longer than previously thought.

'Hobbit' island colonised much earlier than thought

"Hobbits" Had Million-Year History on Island?

I still can't help but see the "Hobbits" as just one chapter in the story of "Lemuria". It's also mentioned that the Stegodon (a pygmy elephant) and Giant Tortoise found on Flores were not hunted to extinction by Hobbit, but rather became extinct due to Indonesian volcanic activity, something which we are seeing has played a far larger role in our own history.

"The date of the newly discovered stone tools, though, suggests elephant and tortoise died off a hundred thousand years after Flores's colonization —indicating that the early Flores colonizers' role in the extinction "must have been minimal," study co-leader Brumm said."

More likely they adapted to local conditions over generations and through genetic drift or mutation and became small only after they arrived in Indonesia.

That's very close to what happened, called "insular dwarfing".

They would have derived their tiny size through "insular dwarfing", an evolutionary downsizing that occurs among creatures which move to islands where food is scarce.

So once Hobbits reached Flores, either by rafting to it or taking advantage of lower sea levels, they continued their evolution in their new island environment.

reply to post by Blackmarketeer



'ex' from the link you provided:

...Found in million-year-old volcanic sediments, the newly discovered tools are
"simple sharp-edged flakes" like those found at nearby sites on Flores—sites
dated to later time periods but also associated with hobbits and their ancestors
—said study co-leader Adam Brumm...

explain to me....(not challenging your post or your cred.)

When there were some stone tools & flint cutting edges found in the debris field of million-year-old volcanic sediment...
...and the normal & regular types of flints & tools associated with the 'hobbits' were found in much younger strata....

Question: why aren't these small number of 'tools/artifacts' thought to have been deliberately buried?

instead the researchers are theorizing that there must have been a thriving culture living there @ 1 million BC or some +200,000
years earlier than the dated items already on cateogorized & on record ??


it all seems a stretch to me, or else sensationalism by the researchers....

thanks for your sharing & links


[

[edit on 21-3-2010 by St Udio]

reply to post by Blackmarketeer

Of course Blackmarketeer I noticed how close we posted three minutes apart thanks for adding your comment here I see your thread is reopened (sorry so late)


Zelong.

reply to post by St Udio

Question: why aren't these small number of 'tools/artifacts' thought to have been deliberately buried?

Well the full female skeleton was dug up from a depth of about 30 feet or more but also this dig was inside a Huge Cave(Liang Bua Cave). There is a documentary on ABC Sydney maybe named "The Hobbit Enigma" and it was showed about one month ago next time it runs I will post the link. I should of watched it again. Screen shots from last time I watched it.
Hobbit, Dig Hole


Liang Bua Cave
"Courtesy: TURNEY/UNIV. WOLLONGONG"

I think it was the 'tools/artifacts' deliberately buried on the shore near the Kimberly's (N/W AUS) found by Professor Mike Morwood who than found some Asian rock Art that made the connection and followed the trail back to Flores. The Hobbit was an Island Hopper and truly a new species "Homo floresiensis" with all the anomaly's Teeth, Jaw Bone, Brain size only 380cubic centimeters etc... the Hobbits Wrist Bone(Trapezoid Bone) stands out unlike Humans and Chimpanzees the Hobbit had a grip unlike Any Species.

Image Source: A comparison of wrist bones like those found in the "hobbit" human (left) and those of a modern human

Source:


There is a very good page on the Flores Hobbit here Homo floresiensis - the most recent living human relative


Zelong.

[edit on 22/3/10 by Zelong]