(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)
Amman, Oct. 4 (Petra) -- A research team from the University of Jordan, Yarmouk University, China, Australia, and the United Kingdom have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding a new human migration route out of Africa through the Levant region.
By examining evidence from various areas in the southern Jordanian desert, including Wadi Hasa, Qreiqa, and Wadi Grendel, the team was able to track ancient footsteps and analyze soil and rock ages using advanced techniques. The study revealed the presence of specific rock types like flint and provided insights into the nature of the soil in these areas.
Associate Professor Bety Al-Saqarat, a member of the research team from the University of Jordan, told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the study offered a unique perspective on the region, allowing for the identification of the ages of ancient lake sediments in different parts of central and southern Jordan.
By utilizing optical luminescence dating of minerals found within these sediments, the researchers were able to determine the burial ages during the existence of lakes in that particular timeframe.
The findings of the study indicated that these lakes were formed during time periods closely associated with early human migrations out of Africa. Furthermore, the team discovered stone tools from the Middle Stone Age near the Wadi Grendel area, adjacent to the lake. The dating of sediment layers carrying these stone tools revealed their age to be over 84,000 years old, providing evidence of human presence in the region during that period.
Regarding the importance of this study, she explained that this study provides compelling evidence for the existence of a migration corridor from the Levant region through the Nile Basin to the Sinai Peninsula via southern Jordan, and the Arabian Peninsula, challenging the prevailing belief that this route was unsuccessful during that early period, which was the common belief that this migration had failed. Because there is not enough evidence to support this passage.
The presence of these lakes indicates a humid climate during that period, highlighting the region's susceptibility to climate change. The research sheds light on the importance of studying climate change and its impact on human adaptation.
This four-year study offers valuable insights into the history of human migration and provides a better understanding of past climate conditions in the Levant region.
It is noteworthy that the international journal Science Advances agreed to publish the study.
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