• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Anthropology

New study reveals archaic ‘hobbits’ were even smaller than previously thought

by Dario Radley
August 7, 2024

Recent fossil discoveries on the Indonesian island of Flores have revealed that the ancient human species, Homo floresiensis, commonly referred to as “hobbits” due to their small stature, were even tinier than previously thought.

New study reveals archaic 'hobbits' were even smaller than previously thought
New fossils from Mata Menge. Credit: Kaifu et al., Nature Communications (2024)

Homo floresiensis was first discovered in 2003 in the Liang Bua cave on Flores. The initial fossils indicated that these small-brained humans lived on the island as recently as 50,000 years ago, while Homo sapiens had already established themselves in nearby regions. The original specimens suggested that individuals of this species grew to about 3 feet 6 inches tall, with small brains and relatively large teeth.

The origin of Homo floresiensis has been a subject of much debate. Some researchers believed they were a dwarfed version of Homo erectus, an early human ancestor that lived in Asia. Others speculated that they might be a remnant of an even more ancient small-statured human ancestor from Africa predating Homo erectus.

At a site called Mata Menge, approximately 45 miles from the Liang Bua cave, researchers have uncovered new fossils dating back 700,000 years. These include a tiny adult humerus bone, jaw fragments, and teeth, suggesting that the ancestors of Homo floresiensis were even smaller, standing around 3 feet 3 inches tall. This is about 2.4 inches shorter than previously estimated.

New study reveals archaic 'hobbits' were even smaller than previously thought
Reconstruction of the head of a Homo floresiensis individual, as on display at the Smithsonian’s Natural Museum of Natural History. Credit: Karen Neoh, via Flickr . CC BY 2.0

Adam Brumm, a co-author of the study and an archaeology professor at Griffith University’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, noted, “This 700,000-year-old adult humerus is not just shorter than that of Homo floresiensis; it is the smallest upper arm bone known from the hominin fossil record worldwide.”

RelatedStories

Homo erectus in Java: 140,000-year-old fossils found in submerged river valley

Homo erectus in Java: 140,000-year-old fossils found in submerged river valley

May 16, 2025
Oldest human face in Western Europe found in Spain, rewriting early European settlement history

Oldest human face in Western Europe found in Spain, rewriting early European settlement history

March 19, 2025

The diminutive size of Homo floresiensis is thought to be a result of phyletic dwarfism, an evolutionary process where species evolve smaller body sizes when isolated on islands with limited resources and no significant predators. This phenomenon is well-documented in other island species, such as elephants, deer, and cattle.

Yousuke Kaifu, a professor of anthropology at the University of Tokyo and lead author of the study, told the Associated Press news agency “We did not expect that we would find smaller individuals from such an old site.” He also told Live Science that the small body size of Homo floresiensis likely evolved within the first 300,000 years of their history on the island and remained consistent for over 600,000 years.

The new fossils provide compelling evidence that Homo floresiensis evolved from Homo erectus through a dramatic reduction in body size. Despite these advances, many questions about Homo floresiensis remain unanswered. Researchers are still uncertain about the exact timeline and mechanisms of their evolution.

More information: Kaifu, Y., Kurniawan, I., Mizushima, S. et al. (2024). Early evolution of small body size in Homo floresiensis. Nature Communications 15, 6381. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-50649-7
Share1Tweet1ShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

DNA reveals Poland’s first kings may have Scottish origins, challenging founding myths
Anthropology

DNA reveals Poland’s first kings may have Scottish origins, challenging founding myths

June 15, 2025
Ancient Xiaohe boat burials reveal symbolic water journey into the afterlife, new study finds. (Illustration by Anja Schorneck). Credit: Caspari, G., Asian Archaeology (2025)
Anthropology

Ancient Xiaohe boat burials reveal symbolic water journey into the afterlife, new study finds

June 14, 2025
Roman-era settlement and mysterious burial unearthed in Delbrück-Bentfeld
Anthropology

Roman-era settlement and mysterious burial unearthed in Delbrück-Bentfeld

June 14, 2025
6,200-year-old ‘cone-headed’ skull found in Iran reveals cranial modification and death by blunt force
Anthropology

6,200-year-old ‘cone-headed’ skull found in Iran reveals cranial modification and death by blunt force

June 13, 2025
France’s deepest shipwreck found: 16th-century vessel discovered off Ramatuelle. Credit: DRASSM / National Navy
Archaeology

France’s deepest shipwreck found: 16th-century vessel discovered off Ramatuelle

June 13, 2025
Mysterious pits on 2-million-year-old fossil teeth unlock clues to human evolution
Anthropology

Mysterious pits on 2-million-year-old fossil teeth unlock clues to human evolution

June 12, 2025

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
108K

Threads
42K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

May 28, 2025
Viking-era boat burial unearthed in Norway reveals 1,100-year-old remains of woman and her dog

Viking-era boat burial unearthed in Norway reveals 1,100-year-old remains of woman and her dog

June 9, 2025
Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

May 17, 2025
maya-collapse-was-transformation-

Ancient DNA reveals Maya collapse was a transformation, not extinction

June 1, 2025
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

DNA reveals Poland’s first kings may have Scottish origins, challenging founding myths

DNA reveals Poland’s first kings may have Scottish origins, challenging founding myths

June 15, 2025
Ancient Xiaohe boat burials reveal symbolic water journey into the afterlife, new study finds. (Illustration by Anja Schorneck). Credit: Caspari, G., Asian Archaeology (2025)

Ancient Xiaohe boat burials reveal symbolic water journey into the afterlife, new study finds

June 14, 2025
Roman-era settlement and mysterious burial unearthed in Delbrück-Bentfeld

Roman-era settlement and mysterious burial unearthed in Delbrück-Bentfeld

June 14, 2025
6,200-year-old ‘cone-headed’ skull found in Iran reveals cranial modification and death by blunt force

6,200-year-old ‘cone-headed’ skull found in Iran reveals cranial modification and death by blunt force

June 13, 2025
France’s deepest shipwreck found: 16th-century vessel discovered off Ramatuelle. Credit: DRASSM / National Navy

France’s deepest shipwreck found: 16th-century vessel discovered off Ramatuelle

June 13, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.