Early Humans Followed River Route Out of Africa 84,000 Years Ago

Recent research led by experts from the University of Southampton in collaboration with scientists worldwide has shed light on the ancient migration that happened eighty thousand years ago from Africa into Eurasia through a river route.

This study supports ideas that early human travelers from Asia took a particular route. Early humans followed a path along rivers in what is now called the Sinai peninsula and Jordan. These rivers created a pathway that was rich in water and allowed them to travel comfortably.

However, it’s important to note that today, these river channels have dried up, and the areas where they once flowed are now arid desert lands.

Discovery of the tools called flakes

As part of their research, scientists conducted on-site investigations in Jordan’s Rift Valley. During these field studies, they discovered ancient hand tools called flakes. These tools were found along the edges of wadis, which were once river channels filled with water but are now dry.

To determine the age of the sediment in which these tools were buried, researchers employed a technique known as luminescence dating. This method estimates the length of time since the sediment was last exposed to light, providing valuable insights into the age of these artifacts.

The findings suggest that after their use, they were left behind on the riverbanks of the wadis or river route and gradually became buried over time.

Evolution of modern humans

Modern humans began evolving in Africa a significant time ago, somewhere between three to two hundred thousand years ago. These early humans embarked on a series of migrations out of Africa in different phases, ultimately spreading across Asia and later into Europe.

Professor Paul Carling, an expert in geomorphology from the University of Southampton, has shared insights on this research. He noted that the conventional belief was that early humans, during periods of lower sea levels, crossed from Africa to southwestern Arabia by traveling southward through the Red Sea from the Horn of Africa.

However, the study has now provided solid evidence that there was indeed a well-established pathway to the north. This northern route was the sole land connection between Africa and Eurasia.

The evidence presented in the recent publication contributes a crucial piece to this historical puzzle, confirming that early humans migrated through this northern route. They utilized small wetland areas as stopover points while hunting the plentiful wildlife of the drier grasslands.

Sources of water and river routes for early travelers

Contrary to earlier notions that large lakes were the primary sources of water for these travelers, the research emphasizes the importance of smaller wetlands as essential resting places during their migration journey.

The winding journey #humans took out of #Africa 80,000 years ago: Incredible map reveals the lush corridor-route early migrants took as they headed for Eurasia pic.twitter.com/FPJTTxjFLc

— Hans Solo (@thandojo) October 5, 2023

Dr. Mahmoud Abbas, the principal author of the study affiliated with Shantou University in China, shared his insights. He explained, “The Levant acted as a well-watered corridor for modern humans to disperse out of Africa during the last interglacial, and we have now demonstrated this is the case in the Jordan Rift Valley zone.”

“The paleohydrological evidence from the Jordan desert enhances our understanding of the environmental setting at that time,” Abbas added.

“Rather than dry desert,” he said, “savannah grasslands would have provided the much-needed resources for humans to survive during their journey out of Africa and into south-west Asia and beyond.”