Homo naledi, an extinct relative of modern humans whose brain was one-third the size of ours, buried their dead and engraved cave walls about 250,000 years ago, according to new research.
The findings are overturning long-held theories that only modern humans and our Neanderthal cousins could do these complex activities.
Evidence of burial practices in this early hominin would be a “landmark finding,” according to a team of researchers who published their hypothesis in the journal eLife in 2023. But their theory became controversial, with numerous experts saying the evidence wasn’t enough to conclude that H. naledi buried or memorialized their dead.
In a revised study published Friday (March 28) in eLife, the researchers laid out 250 pages’ worth of proof of purposeful burial that they say has convinced more people.
Archaeologists first discovered the remains of H. naledi in South Africa’s Rising Star cave system in 2013. Since then, over 1,500 bones from multiple individuals have been found throughout the 2.5-mile-long (4 kilometers) system.
The anatomy of H. naledi is well known due to the remarkable preservation of the remains. They were bipedal, stood around 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall and weighed about 100 pounds (45 kilograms). They had dexterous hands and small-but-complex brains — traits that have led to a debate about the complexity of their behavior.
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