Atapuerca

Excavations in the cave systems of the province of Burgos, Spain, led to the discovery of Homo antecessor remains dating back over 800,000 years. This was a completely new species of hominin previously unknown to science. The site is considered one of the most important paleontological complexes in the world.

The Sima de los Huesos is a deep cave chamber that holds one of the largest collections of hominin fossils ever discovered. It contains the remains of hundreds of individuals, likely belonging to Homo heidelbergensis. The site provides crucial evidence regarding the social behavior and physical characteristics of early humans.

Cut marks found on the Homo antecessor remains at the Gran Dolina site suggest that these early humans engaged in nutritional cannibalism. The cut marks match those made by stone tools during the butchering of meat. This makes Atapuerca one of the earliest sites providing evidence of this practice.

While the area was known for its fossils for decades, systematic scientific excavations began in the late 20th century. The discovery of a railway trench in the 19th century exposed the cave systems, but major digs didn't accelerate until the 1970s. The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.