Nesher Ramla Homo

## Homo sp.

The Nesher Ramla Man, or "Nesher Ramla *Homo*" (as assigned by the authors), is an extinct species of hominin that lived in Israel during the Middle Pleistocene.

## History

The Nesher Ramla site was found in a karst depression when a cement factory was quarrying. It was excavated between 2010 and 2011, where artifacts were reported by D. Friesem, Y. Zaidner and R. Shahack-Gross. Evidence of a lithic industry was found, containing Levallois tools and lithic cores. Later excavations by Israel Hershkovitz in 2021 found 5 braincase fragments and a near-complete mandible, dated to 140-120,000 years old. Yoel Rak has reportedly undergone harassment for his views that the Nesher Ramla specimens are Neanderthals. According to him, the authors of the June 2020 paper had ordered for the locks of his paleoanthropology collections to be changed, locking him out. Additionally, several specimens used to demonstrate in lectures were unable to be returned, as a result of their retaliation.

## Description

The remains of this species were found by Dr. Zaidner during salvage excavations at Nesher Ramla, Israel. They dug ~8 meters, finding large sums of animal bones (horses, aurochs, human) and stone tools. They found a partial cranial vault and a mandible. They made 3D models of the remains to analyze and compare them to other material. They found the Nesher Ramla population were late-surviving humans. It is likely Israel was a common spot where migrating populations intertwined and shared genes, since three continents surround it. It is suggested these people lived 420,000-120,000 years ago. 6000 stone tools were found, and they had mastered the production technologies of Neanderthals and *Homo sapiens*. Zaidner interpreted this as cultural interactions between populations. An auroch fragment was recovered from an open-air locality (Unit III) at Nesher Ramla and dated to around 120,000 years in age, bearing six deep vertical markings that were hypothesized to be symbolic behaviour. The incisions are sub-parallel and were probably made by a (possibly retouched) flint tool by a right-handed individual during a single session, judging by the macro- and microscopic characteristics as well as experimental archeology. Upon description, it was deemed the earliest evidence of symbolism in Paleolithic Levant.

## Classification

Hershkovitz theorized they may have been a late-surviving population that contributed to Neanderthals and East Asian *Homo*. Philip Rightmire, however, disagreed, placing them as early Neanderthals, and discussing how they may have migrated from Europe.

## Paleoecology

A 2021 study suggests these remains represent the last populations of European, Asian and African Middle Pleistocene *Homo*. They had "fully mastered" technology historically linked with *Homo sapiens* and Neanderthals. They were effective in hunting game of all sizes, used wood as fuel to maintain fires and cooked or roasted meat. At this time, Mid Pleistocene *Homo* and *Homo sapiens* had admixture, and cultures frequently interacted. If this is true, some believe that the Nesher Ramla individuals would not be a new species, given their presumed settling date of 40-100,000 years, and should be included as *Homo neanderthalensis*.

## References

* https://phys.org/news/2021-06-nesher-ramla-homo-fossil-discovery.html
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nesher\_Ramla\_Homo
* https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abh3169
* https://nutcrackerman.com/2021/06/24/nesher-ramla-coexistencia-distintos-grupos-humanos-en-corredor-levantino/
* https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-workplace-harassment-and-hominin-skulls-a-battle-over-archaeology-at-ta-u-1.10443893
* https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1040618221000021