In 2022, researchers found a fossilized skull fragment in Spain’s Atapuerca Mountains. This fossil, believed to be between 1.1 million and 1.4 million years old, is now considered the oldest known human ancestor fossil in western Europe. The discovery includes part of the left cheekbone and upper jaw, suggesting that early humans may have reached this region earlier than scientists previously thought.

While fossils about 1.8 million years old have been found in Georgia, this Spanish fossil is the oldest evidence of early humans in western Europe. Experts noticed some similarities to Homo erectus, a species that lived about 2 million years ago. Homo erectus is known for migrating from Africa to parts of Asia and Europe before disappearing roughly 100,000 years ago. However, identifying the species based on one bone fragment is difficult. Differences in bone structure suggest there may have been variations within known species. This discovery adds to the understanding of early human migration and suggests that western Europe played a larger role in human history than once believed. The Atapuerca site remains important for understanding human evolution, with earlier discoveries including Neanderthal and early Homo sapiens fossils.