The Age of the 20 Meter Solo River Terrace and the Survival of Homo erectus in Asia
Author Information
Author(s): Indriati Etty, Swisher Carl C. III, Lepre Christopher, Quinn Rhonda L., Suriyanto Rusyad A., Hascaryo Agus T., Grün Rainer, Feibel Craig S., Pobiner Briana L., Aubert Maxime, Lees Wendy, Antón Susan C.
Primary Institution: Laboratory of Bio and Paleoanthropology, Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Hypothesis
What is the geological age of the youngest populations of Homo erectus in Asia?
Conclusion
The study provides evidence that the age of the Solo River terrace and its hominin fossils is at least 546,000 years old, significantly older than previous estimates.
Supporting Evidence
- The 40Ar/39Ar analyses provide an average age of 546±12 ka for the sites.
- Previous estimates suggested that Homo erectus survived until 35–50 ka, which this study contradicts.
- The study indicates that the age of the sites is bracketed between 546 ka and 143 ka based on various dating methods.
Takeaway
Scientists studied ancient river deposits in Java to find out how old the Homo erectus fossils are, and they discovered that these fossils are much older than previously thought.
Methodology
The study involved excavation, survey, and geotrenching, along with 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating analyses and ESR/U-series age estimates.
Potential Biases
There may be biases in the dating methods used, particularly with ESR and U-series analyses.
Limitations
The dating results may be affected by uranium leaching and the potential for reworking of sediments.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
546±12 ka
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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