Omo I – Oldest Human Fossils

As per a recent study, one of the oldest known Homo sapiens fossils, Omo Kibish I, may be around 35,000 years older than it was previously thought.

Highlights

• The study used volcanic ash to date the fossils and thus there were 22,000-year margin of error.
• Omo Kibish I was first unearthed in Ethiopia in 1967.
• It was difficult to date directly because, it contained only bone and skull fragments. As a result, experts remained divided over their age for long.

Previous age

In 2005, Geologists had analysed the layer of rock just underneath the findings. They came to conclude that, Omo I was at least 195,000 years old. That made the fossil at least that old as well as, oldest ever discovered at the time. However, there was a lot of uncertainty.

How was the date calculated?

Date was calculated by analysing the layers of ash deposited on the fossils. A more precise date means, to analyse the thick layers of ash. Earlier, it was nearly impossible as ash was so fine. However, availability of more refined methods made the team to link ash layer to an eruption of Shala volcano