Old Fossil Points to Violence Among Modern Humans
Researchers analyzing a 90,000-year-old fossil from Israel have identified signs of sharp-force trauma on the jaw. The findings suggest the individual may have been a victim of interpersonal violence, providing new insights into early human social behavior.
Why it matters
This discovery contributes to the scientific understanding of the origins of complex human behaviors, including violence, caregiving, and funerary practices.
Share to Facebook Share to X Share via Email Copy permalink to clipboard https://archaeology.org/news/2026/07/13/jaw-wound-in-90000-year-old-fossil-points-to-violence-among-modern-humans/ Copied to clipboard Skull and mandible of Qafzeh 25 BURGOS, SPAIN—According to a statement released by the Spanish National Research Centre for Human Evolution (CENIEH) , a micro-computed tomography examination of Qafzeh 25, a set of fossilized modern human remains found in Israel’s Qafzeh Cave that have been dated to between 92,000 and 145,000 years ago, has identified lesions in the upper and lower jaw consistent with sharp-force trauma. Researchers led by Ana Pantoja Pérez of CENIEH determined that the injury to the bone had started to heal, indicating that the individual had survived the blow for a time. They suggest that the injury may have been caused by an accident but is more likely a result of violence.
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