Where did Homo Sapiens settle after leaving Africa? Italian scientists have found the answer

A recent genetic and paleoecological study indicates that the ancestors of all the first non-African Homo sapiens lived 25,000 years in this place before spreading around the world.

Iran homo sapiens
Scientists have discovered that this plateau in the Middle East was the habitat for Homo sapiens after Africa.

The history of humanity is a fascinating story of migrations, interactions and adaptations over millennia. However, there are periods in our prehistoric history that remain enveloped in mystery.

For decades, the migration of our ancestors Homo sapiens from Africa has been the subject of a deep debate among historians and scientists. However, recent discoveries have shed new light on this enigma, revealing the Persian Plateau as a crucial turning point in the human odyssey outside Africa.

Iran as the home of Homo sapiens

A multidisciplinary study led by experts such as Michael Petraglia and Leonardo Vallini have brought to light a fascinating chapter of our prehistoric history. Through a combination of genetics, palaeoecology and archaeological evidence, it has been discovered that the first Homo sapiens were on the Persian Plateau for thousands of years.

According to the article, published in Nature Communications, the Persian Plateau was not only the home of the first Homo sapiens outside of Africa, but also served as a nerve centre for migration and human interaction for thousands of years.

The findings reveal that human populations inhabited the Persian Plateau for more than 20,000 years after their exile from Africa, marking a crucial period in which they interacted with the Neanderthals and dispersed throughout Eurasia.

This discovery not only redefines our understanding of prehistory, but also points to this region as a central nucleus in the process of human colonisation.

The investigations went further

The most intriguing thing is the crucial role played by the Persian Plateau as a propitious habitat to sustain a larger human population compared to other areas of Western Asia.

The combination of genetic and palaeoecological evidence highlights a long-term differentiation in the region, highlighting its importance as a centre of distribution and early human settlement.

Migration map of homo sapiens.
The exile of the Homo sapiens from Africa to the Persian Plateau offers very important discoveries for the history of humanity.

Likewise, the research sheds light on the complex interactions between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals during their stay on the Persian Plateau. Evidence has been discovered that these two human species coexisted and mixed in this region.

They provided crucial clues to understand the demographic history and evolution of our species across Europe, East Asia and Oceania. The multidisciplinary study not only offers a clearer view of the ancient past, but also opens new doors for archaeological exploration.

In addition, researchers suggest that there could still be numerous fossils and artefacts waiting to be discovered on the Persian Plateau, which could further confirm and support the genetic and palaeoecological findings.

Reference of the news:

Vallini, L., Zampieri, C., Shoaee, M.J. et al. The Persian plateau served as hub forHomo sapiens after the main out of Africa dispersal. Nat Commun 15, 1882 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46161-7