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The earliest record of human activity in northern Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Simon A. Parfitt

    (University College London
    The Natural History Museum)

  • René W. Barendregt

    (University of Lethbridge)

  • Marzia Breda

    (University of Padova)

  • Ian Candy

    (Loughborough University
    University of London)

  • Matthew J. Collins

    (University of York)

  • G. Russell Coope

    (University of London
    University of Birmingham)

  • Paul Durbidge

    (Lowestoft Museum, Oulton Broad)

  • Mike H. Field

    (Church Cottage)

  • Jonathan R. Lee

    (University of London
    British Geological Survey)

  • Adrian M. Lister

    (University College London)

  • Robert Mutch

    (Lowestoft Museum, Oulton Broad)

  • Kirsty E. H. Penkman

    (University of York)

  • Richard C. Preece

    (University of Cambridge)

  • James Rose

    (University of London)

  • Christopher B. Stringer

    (The Natural History Museum
    University of London)

  • Robert Symmons

    (The Natural History Museum)

  • John E. Whittaker

    (The Natural History Museum)

  • John J. Wymer
  • Anthony J. Stuart

    (University College London
    University of Durham School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences)

Abstract

Written in stone A collection of stone tools from East Anglia has been dated at around 700,000 years old, making them the the earliest signs of human activity in northern Europe by about 200,000 years. Humans were present in sunnier southern Europe before 750,000 years ago, but until now there were no traces of human activity north of the Alps before half a million years ago. The flint artefacts found at Pakefield, near Lowestoft, extend human activity in Britain and the entire northern European landmass back to an antiquity we're more used to from southern Europe. The tools are from the well known Cromer Forest-bed Formation, which has yielded Ice Age fossils for over a century. But this find was notable as the 32 worked flints, including the scraper shown on the cover, were in a clearly datable stratigraphic context. Go to tinyurl.com/d2zko for video clips of the press conference announcing this discovery.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon A. Parfitt & René W. Barendregt & Marzia Breda & Ian Candy & Matthew J. Collins & G. Russell Coope & Paul Durbidge & Mike H. Field & Jonathan R. Lee & Adrian M. Lister & Robert Mutch & Kirsty E., 2005. "The earliest record of human activity in northern Europe," Nature, Nature, vol. 438(7070), pages 1008-1012, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:438:y:2005:i:7070:d:10.1038_nature04227
    DOI: 10.1038/nature04227
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