Latest Homo erectus of Java: Potential contemporaneity with Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia

C. C. Swisher; W. J. Rink; S. C. Anton; H. P. Schwarcz; G. H. Curtis; A. Suprijo; Widiasmoro

doi:10.1126/science.274.5294.1870

Latest Homo erectus of Java: Potential contemporaneity with Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia

C. C. Swisher, W. J. Rink, S. C. Anton, H. P. Schwarcz, G. H. Curtis, A. Suprijo, Widiasmoro

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Hominid fossils from Ngandong and Sambungmacan, Central Java, are considered the most morphologically advanced representatives of Homo erectus. Electron spin resonance (ESR) and mass spectrometric U-series dating of fossil bovid teeth collected from the hominid-bearing levels at these sites gave mean ages of 27 ± 2 to 53.3 ± 4 thousand years ago; the range in ages reflects uncertainties in uranium migration histories. These ages are 20,000 to 400,000 years younger than previous age estimates for these hominids and indicate that H. erectus may have survived on Java at least 250,000 years longer than on the Asian mainland, and perhaps 1 million years longer than in Africa. The new ages raise the possibility that H. erectus overlapped in time with anatomically modern humans (H. sapiens) in Southeast Asia.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1870-1874
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	274
Issue number	5294
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.274.5294.1870
State	Published - Dec 13 1996

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

Access to Document

10.1126/science.274.5294.1870

Cite this

@article{2b6b26dcb180403292933a131ddbdd04,

title = "Latest Homo erectus of Java: Potential contemporaneity with Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia",

abstract = "Hominid fossils from Ngandong and Sambungmacan, Central Java, are considered the most morphologically advanced representatives of Homo erectus. Electron spin resonance (ESR) and mass spectrometric U-series dating of fossil bovid teeth collected from the hominid-bearing levels at these sites gave mean ages of 27 ± 2 to 53.3 ± 4 thousand years ago; the range in ages reflects uncertainties in uranium migration histories. These ages are 20,000 to 400,000 years younger than previous age estimates for these hominids and indicate that H. erectus may have survived on Java at least 250,000 years longer than on the Asian mainland, and perhaps 1 million years longer than in Africa. The new ages raise the possibility that H. erectus overlapped in time with anatomically modern humans (H. sapiens) in Southeast Asia.",

author = "Swisher, {C. C.} and Rink, {W. J.} and Anton, {S. C.} and Schwarcz, {H. P.} and Curtis, {G. H.} and A. Suprijo and Widiasmoro",

year = "1996",

month = dec,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1126/science.274.5294.1870",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "274",

pages = "1870--1874",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "5294",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Latest Homo erectus of Java

T2 - Potential contemporaneity with Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia

AU - Swisher, C. C.

AU - Rink, W. J.

AU - Anton, S. C.

AU - Schwarcz, H. P.

AU - Curtis, G. H.

AU - Suprijo, A.

AU - Widiasmoro,

PY - 1996/12/13

Y1 - 1996/12/13

N2 - Hominid fossils from Ngandong and Sambungmacan, Central Java, are considered the most morphologically advanced representatives of Homo erectus. Electron spin resonance (ESR) and mass spectrometric U-series dating of fossil bovid teeth collected from the hominid-bearing levels at these sites gave mean ages of 27 ± 2 to 53.3 ± 4 thousand years ago; the range in ages reflects uncertainties in uranium migration histories. These ages are 20,000 to 400,000 years younger than previous age estimates for these hominids and indicate that H. erectus may have survived on Java at least 250,000 years longer than on the Asian mainland, and perhaps 1 million years longer than in Africa. The new ages raise the possibility that H. erectus overlapped in time with anatomically modern humans (H. sapiens) in Southeast Asia.

AB - Hominid fossils from Ngandong and Sambungmacan, Central Java, are considered the most morphologically advanced representatives of Homo erectus. Electron spin resonance (ESR) and mass spectrometric U-series dating of fossil bovid teeth collected from the hominid-bearing levels at these sites gave mean ages of 27 ± 2 to 53.3 ± 4 thousand years ago; the range in ages reflects uncertainties in uranium migration histories. These ages are 20,000 to 400,000 years younger than previous age estimates for these hominids and indicate that H. erectus may have survived on Java at least 250,000 years longer than on the Asian mainland, and perhaps 1 million years longer than in Africa. The new ages raise the possibility that H. erectus overlapped in time with anatomically modern humans (H. sapiens) in Southeast Asia.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030303721&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030303721&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.274.5294.1870

DO - 10.1126/science.274.5294.1870

M3 - Article

C2 - 8943192

AN - SCOPUS:0030303721

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 274

SP - 1870

EP - 1874

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5294

ER -

Latest Homo erectus of Java: Potential contemporaneity with Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this