Gran Dolina

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Gran Dolina is a cave in the Atapuerca hills of Spain. Archaeologists have found five or six hominids on this site dating to between 850,000 to 780,000 years ago. These early Spanish finds are at least 250,000 years older than any other hominid yet discovered in western Europe (Dmanisi is older). It is still debated as to which species these fossils belong to, either Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, or a new species called Homo antecessor.

Some paleoanthropologists who have studied the findings at Gran Dolina argue Homo antecessor may give rise to Homo heidelbergensis, which eventually gives rise to neandertals.

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The erectus-like fossils were also found with retouched flake & core stone tools.

About 25% of the human remains found here showed the first evidence of cannibalism.