HOMO FLORESIENSIS (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – History)

Context: A microscopic examination of 700,000-year-old miniature human arm and dental fossils has resolved the debate on the origins of Homo floresiensis.

Homo floresiensis

• Nickname: The species is informally known as "The Hobbit" due to its small stature, reminiscent of the fictional creatures created by J.R.R. Tolkien.
• Name meaning: 'human from Flores' - sometimes referred to as Flores Man
• Discovery Date: They was first discovered in 2003 during an excavation led by archaeologist Mike Morwood.
• Habitat: They lived in Liang Bua cave on the island of Flores, Indonesia. Fossils have also been found at Mata Menge, further east on the island.
• Time: Approximately 100,000 to 50,000 years ago.
• Species named in: 2004
• Characteristics

o Unique Appearance: They had a very small skull, definite brow ridge, short legs, and large, flat feet.

o Important Fossils: Notable fossils include the partial skeleton of a female, known as Liang Bua 1, and fragmentary remains of at least 13 other individuals.