A joint team of researchers from the Indonesia Geology Agency’s geological survey center and the University of Wollongong, Australia, has published its findings on ancient human fossils found in Flores.

Supplied with six teeth and jaw fossils, the researchers measured the age of the human remains using four different methods. They determined that they were fossils of ancient humans living in Mata Menge, Soa Basin, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, about 700,000 years ago.

Acting geology agency head FX Sutijastoto said the finding from Soa Basin showed there was a civilization older than the one of which remains were found in Sangiran, Central Java. Thus, he said, it was possible the finding of Mata Menge ancient human fossils could change the history of human civilization.

“Results of the carbon dating show fossils found in Mata Menge, So’a district, Ngada regency, were from around 700,000 years ago. Fossils in Sangiran were from around 60,000 years ago while those found in Liang Bua were from around 50,000 years ago,” said Sutijastoto.

Older civilization – Teeth fossils of ancient humans found in Mata Menge, Soa Basin, Ngada regency, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, are displayed during a media conference at the Geology Museum, Bandung, on Wednesday evening. (thejakartapost.com/Arya Dipa)

A geology agency researcher on the team, Fachroel Aziz, explained that the Mata Menge civilization was older as could be seen from artifacts and stone tools.

“This finding is interesting because Flores is located between the Sahul and Sunda shelf. To reach the island, there was a barrier they would have had to pass: water. They would have needed a raft at least. To make a raft, they needed a skill and would have had to communicate,” said Fachroel. Therefore, he said, the researchers agreed that the fossils found in Mata Menge could be categorized as belonging to ancient humans that could speak.

Fossils found in Mata Menge comprise molars, incisors, canines and mandible bones. “These are fossils of oldest ancient human in Flores and first human fossils found in So’a Basin,” said Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry expert staff member Yun Yunus Kusumahbrata at the International Media Release of New Human Fossil Excavated from Flores at the Geology Museum in Bandung, West Java, on Wednesday evening.

Besides artifacts and human fossils, Yunus said, excavation activities in Mata Menge also discovered fossils of animals, such dwarf Stegodon (elephant), crocodile, komodo dragon, rat, frog and bird. (ebf)