Jebel Irhoud

Quick Facts: Who was Jebel Irhoud?

Subject:

Jebel Irhoud

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Crucial Moroccan archaeological site yielding some of the earliest known Homo sapiens fossils.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Jebel Irhoud (Arabic: جبل إيغود, Moroccan Arabic: žbəl iġud) or Adrar n Ighoud (Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⴰⴷⵔⴰⵔ ⵏ ⵉⵖⵓⴷ, romanized: Adrar n Iɣud), is an archaeological site in Morocco located just north of the town of Tlet Ighoud in Youssoufia Province, approximately 50 km (30 mi) south-east of the city of Safi. It is noted for the hominin fossils that have been found there since the discovery of the site in 1961. Originally thought to be Neanderthals, the specimens have since been assigned to Homo sapiens and, as reported in 2017, have been dated to a "weighted average age" of 315,000 years ago. This makes the remains by far the earliest known examples of H. sapiens, and suggests that rather than arising in East Africa approximately 200,000 years ago, modern humans were present across the length of Africa 100,000 years earlier. The site is the remnant of a solutional cave filled with 8 metres (26 ft) of deposits from the Pleistocene era, located on the eastern side of a karstic outcrop of limestone at an elevation of 562 metres (1,844 ft).

Career & Major Achievements

It was discovered in 1961 when the area was being mined for the mineral baryte. A miner discovered a skull in the wall of the cave, extracted it, and gave it to an engineer, who kept it as a souvenir for a time. Eventually, it was handed over to the University of Rabat, which organized a joint French-Moroccan expedition to the site that was headed by anthropologist Émile Ennouchi. Ennouchi and his team began their excavation of Jebel Irhoud in 1961. Before beginning excavation, Ennouchi's team removed 2000 tons of debris that covered the archaeological layers using low-level explosives.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The excavation completed by Ennouchi's team used horizontal arbitrary 50 cm stratigraphic layers, or spits. Ennouchi's team identified the remains of approximately 30 species of mammals, some of which are associated with the Middle Pleistocene, but the stratigraphic provenance of these remains is unknown. During the Ennouchi excavations, two hominin fossils, Irhoud 2 and Irhoud 3, were discovered and identified as an adult and a child. The associated lithic technology was identified as Mousterian, leading the Irhoud hominins to initially be identified as Neanderthals. Ennouchi's team was also the first to attempt to date the site.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1961: 1961 Milestone — It is noted for the hominin fossils that have been found there since the discovery of the site in 1961.
2. 2000: 2000 Milestone — Before beginning excavation, Ennouchi's team removed 2000 tons of debris that covered the archaeological layers using low-level explosives.
3. 2017: 2017 Milestone — Originally thought to be Neanderthals, the specimens have since been assigned to Homo sapiens and, as reported in 2017, have been dated to a "weighted average age" of 315,000 years ago.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Jebel Irhoud

True or False: “The initial interpretation of the hominin fossils found at Jebel Irhoud was that they belonged to Neanderthals.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): While initially classified as Neanderthal by Émile Ennouchi in 1962, subsequent analysis reclassified them as early members of the Homo sapiens clade.

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