In Morocco, scientists made an extraordinary discovery of two sets of ancient human footprints, estimated to be around 90,000 years old, preserved on a beach. The findings are considered one of the largest and most well-preserved trackways ever identified globally, as outlined in a study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports. The researchers came across this footprint site near North Africa’s northern tip in 2022.
The lead author of the study, Mouncef Sedrati, an associate professor of coastal dynamics and geomorphology at the University of Southern Brittany in France, shared the unexpected nature of the discovery. During low tide, Sedrati and his team decided to explore another beach to the north. They stumbled upon the first print, initially uncertain of its nature. However, subsequent exploration revealed more tracks, forming a trackway.
The analysis of the site, the only one of its kind discovered in North Africa and the Southern Mediterranean, unveiled two distinct trails featuring a total of 85 human footprints. These footprints indicated that at least five early modern humans had left their mark on the beach. The researchers employed optically stimulated luminescence dating, a technique used to determine the last exposure of specific artifacts or minerals to sunlight or heat.
By examining the age of fine grains of quartz present in abundance on the beach sand with a gentle slope, the scientists estimated that a multigenerational group of Homo sapiens walked on the beach approximately 90,000 years ago, creating these unique and well-preserved pathways.
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