Evidence and extinction: The possibility of another hominin sharing our planet

This article explores the possibility that Homo sapiens may not be the only surviving species of the Homo genus. The study is sparked by the discovery of Homo floresiensis, a small‐bodied hominin found in Indonesia, and its resemblance to ‘ape‐men’ described by local people on Flores Island. Through...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnthropology today Vol. 39; no. 6; pp. 21 - 23
Main Author Forth, Gregory
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2023
Subjects
Convergence
Discovery
Ethnographic research
Extinction
Folklore
Fossils
Local knowledge
Men
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Summary:This article explores the possibility that Homo sapiens may not be the only surviving species of the Homo genus. The study is sparked by the discovery of Homo floresiensis, a small‐bodied hominin found in Indonesia, and its resemblance to ‘ape‐men’ described by local people on Flores Island. Through extensive ethnographic research in the Lio region of Flores, the author finds that local accounts of these ‘ape‐men’ pre‐date scientific discovery and closely align with it. The article challenges the scientific community's scepticism towards local folklore as credible evidence, citing instances where local knowledge has historically preceded scientific discovery. The author argues that the most straightforward explanation for the convergence of local accounts and fossil evidence is the continued existence of a species closely related to Homo floresiensis. The study calls for re‐evaluating what constitutes evidence and opens the possibility that we may not be the only surviving hominins.
Bibliography:This is an abbreviated version of a lecture delivered to the University of Cambridge Archaeological Field Club on 6 February 2023.
ISSN:0268-540X
1467-8322
DOI:10.1111/1467-8322.12850