A scientific seminar organized by the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums at the Damascus National Museum today, Thursday, shed light on the importance of fossil discoveries in understanding the evolution of ancient humans in the Levant. The seminar hosted researcher Majid Abu Fakhr, who discussed the theory of human origins through recent scientific data.
Abu Fakhr emphasized during the seminar, titled "Fossils of Ancient Humans in Syria and the Levant: New Discoveries Rewriting Human History," that anatomical evidence proves the Levant region was an authentic homeland inhabited by ancient humans 400,000 years ago. The speaker refuted the theory restricting human origins to Africa, relying on recently discovered data at Syrian archaeological sites.
In the same context, the speaker highlighted the results of examining teeth and bones discovered in Al-Didriya Cave in Afrin, Aleppo Governorate. The researcher used modern computed tomography techniques to re-read the paths of early human migrations, noting that Syria's geographical location granted the region exceptional importance in studying the spread of ancient humans and their interaction with various environments.
For his part, Abu Fakhr pointed out that Al-Didriya Cave is one of the important sites for studying Neanderthal humans, especially after the discovery of children's remains belonging to ancient humans within it. Recent studies, using computed tomography and anatomical analysis techniques, have allowed for reading additional details in bone and tooth remains, comparing them with data from other sites in the Levant and Europe.
He noted that research shows small fossil fragments, even if limited to a single tooth or part of a bone, can carry important scientific information. He stressed the necessity of subjecting these fragments to precise examination and comparing them with other discoveries, while avoiding generalizing results before sufficient evidence is available.
The speaker added that technological advancement has changed fossil study methods, as it is now possible to analyze precise parts of human remains without causing damage. Comparing human remains with archaeological and geological evidence contributes to building a more comprehensive picture of ancient societies and their environmental conditions, distinguishing between proven results and hypotheses requiring further research.
The data presented by Abu Fakhr emphasized that fossils are scientific evidence contributing to reconstructing human history. The researcher also confirmed that he presented two studies on Neanderthal teeth from Al-Didriya Cave at the annual conference of the European Society for the Study of Human Evolution (ESHE) 2026, held in the Spanish city of Burgos last September.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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