title: Hominin footprints from early Pleistocene deposits at Happisburgh, UK.
abstract: Investigations at Happisburgh, UK, have revealed the oldest known hominin footprint surface outside Africa at between ca. 1 million and 0.78 million years ago. The site has long been recognised for the preservation of sediments containing Early Pleistocene fauna and flora, but since 2005 has also yielded humanly made flint artefacts, extending the record of human occupation of northern Europe by at least 350,000 years. The sediments consist of sands, gravels and laminated silts laid down by a large river within the upper reaches of its estuary. In May 2013 extensive areas of the laminated sediments were exposed on the foreshore. On the surface of one of the laminated silt horizons a series of hollows was revealed in an area of ca. 12 m(2). The surface was recorded using multi-image photogrammetry which showed that the hollows are distinctly elongated and the majority fall within the range of juvenile to adult hominin foot sizes. In many cases the arch and front/back of the foot can be identified and in one case the impression of toes can be seen. Using foot length to stature ratios, the hominins are estimated to have been between ca. 0.93 and 1.73 m in height, suggestive of a group of mixed ages. The orientation of the prints indicates movement in a southerly direction on mud-flats along the river edge. Early Pleistocene human fossils are extremely rare in Europe, with no evidence from the UK. The only known species in western Europe of a similar age is Homo antecessor, whose fossil remains have been found at Atapuerca, Spain. The foot sizes and estimated stature of the hominins from Happisburgh fall within the range derived from the fossil evidence of Homo antecessor.
authors: Department of Prehistory and Europe, British Museum, London, United Kingdom ; Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Nick
authors: N
authors: Ashton
authors: School of Geography, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Simon G
authors: SG
authors: Lewis
authors: Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: De Groote
authors: Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, United Kingdom.
authors: Sarah M
authors: SM
authors: Duffy
authors: Department of Archaeology, University of Wales Trinity St David, Lampeter, United Kingdom.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Bates
authors: School of Geography and Geosciences, University of Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Bates
authors: Department of Geology, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Norwich, United Kingdom.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Hoare
authors: Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Lewis
authors: Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London, United Kingdom ; Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Simon A
authors: SA
authors: Parfitt
authors: School of Botany, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors: Sylvia
authors: S
authors: Peglar
authors: Department of Prehistory and Europe, British Museum, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Craig
authors: C
authors: Williams
authors: Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Stringer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005528:Foot; D005580:Fossils; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D015186:Hominidae; D006113:United Kingdom