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In Southeast Asia, there is an island known as Flores.
There in a cave, human bones were found, due to their size they earned the nickname "Hobbit".
Lets get to know it.
There in a cave, human bones were found, due to their size they earned the nickname "Hobbit".
Lets get to know it.
The first bones were found in the cave of Liang-Bua located in the Indonesian island of Flores.
The remains consisted on a nearly complete skull, leg and arm bones.
The hip helped identify the individual as a female, judging by the growth rate, she was 30 years when she died.
the bones were initially dated around 38.000 to 13.000 years ago.
The hip helped identify the individual as a female, judging by the growth rate, she was 30 years when she died.
the bones were initially dated around 38.000 to 13.000 years ago.
Because they became extinct recently around 50.000 years, the bones didn't went through the fossilization process.
Studies of Homo Floresiensis once believed it was an individual suffering congenital disorders like Down Syndrome, now it is accepted to be a different Human population.
but were did it come from?
first, how did it looked like?
but were did it come from?
first, how did it looked like?
Homo Floresiensis was 3 ft and 7 in tall.
It may be the shortest member of the extended family of the Human species.
It may be the shortest member of the extended family of the Human species.
They had a small brain, it is estimated at 23 cu in, placing it at a similar brain size of Chimps and Australopithecines.
Reduction in brain size is not uncommon in insular dwarfism.
Reduction in brain size is not uncommon in insular dwarfism.
Insular Dwarfism is the process and condition of large animals evolving or having a reduced body size to cope with island enviorments, it has happened all across Earth's evolutionary history with examples even with dinosaurs.
the opposite is Island Gigantism.
the opposite is Island Gigantism.
the common theory of the origin of the Hobbit is that they are decendants of Homo Erectus, the first homind known to have ventured out of Africa.
Although studies of the bones place it more closely to Homo Habilis.
If this was the case, it would mean other hominids left Africa before Erectus and that H.Floresiensis represents an early migration.
If this was the case, it would mean other hominids left Africa before Erectus and that H.Floresiensis represents an early migration.
Despite the low sea levels present in prehistory, the only the ancestors of H.Floriensis could have reached the island was by sea.
likely through bamboo rafts.
likely through bamboo rafts.
Remains of tools have also been found, stone tools to cut meat.
It is known they also used fire.
It is known they also used fire.
Along side H.Floresienesis were the bones of many other animals, from elephants, birds, lizards and rats.
Stegodon was the largest herbivore in the island, an extinct proboscidean more common than Asian elephants in Asia.
the species in Flores was a dwarf subspecies: S. florensis insularis
the species in Flores was a dwarf subspecies: S. florensis insularis
Stegodon bones have been found in many islands in Asia, species are known in Japan, Indonesia and the Phillipines.
Elephants are good swimmers and likely arrived at this islands crossing the straits.
Elephants are good swimmers and likely arrived at this islands crossing the straits.
Tools found alongside bones show that Stegodon juveniles were the target of H.Floresiensis hunters.
cuts in the bones show they used barbed stone tools to cut their hide.
cuts in the bones show they used barbed stone tools to cut their hide.
Komodo Dragons were once common in the island, they preyed on the Stegodons and would have competed with the Hobbits for food.
The island was also the home of Leptotilos robustus, a fligthless stork related to the Marabou stork from Africa.
It was a scavenger that fed on the Stegodon carcasses, it migth have also hunted the many large rats of Flores.
It was a scavenger that fed on the Stegodon carcasses, it migth have also hunted the many large rats of Flores.
Large rats are known in Flores, among them was the Flores giant rat (Papagomys)
it was twice the size of a common brown rat and eigth times the weigth.
they would have fallen prey to H.Floresiensis and Storks.
it was twice the size of a common brown rat and eigth times the weigth.
they would have fallen prey to H.Floresiensis and Storks.
This lost world would remain isolated from the outside world until 50.000 years ago the fauna began to dissapear.
the causes remain a mystery to this day
the causes remain a mystery to this day
don't be shy to ask questions :3
