Fossil first: ancient human relative may have buried its dead

Humanity’s claim to uniqueness just suffered another setback: scientists reported on Thursday that a newly discovered ancient species related to humans also appeared to bury its dead. Fossils of the creature were unearthed in a deep cave near the famed sites of Sterkfontein and Swartkrans, treasure troves 50 km (30 miles) northwest of Johannesburg that have yielded pieces of the puzzle of human evolution for decades. The new species - described in the scientific journal eLife and National Geographic magazine - has been named “Homo naledi”, in honor of the “Rising Star” cave where it was found. Naledi means “star” in South Africa’s Sesotho language.

It was right under our nose in the most explored valley of the continent of Africa.

Lee Berger of the Evolutionary Studies Institute at Johannesburg’s University of the Witwatersrand.

Paleoanthropologists concluded the species buried its dead, a trait previously believed to be uniquely human, through a process of elimination - a common approach in a field which often only has old bones to rely on. The find - Africa’s largest single collection of hominin (human and human-related) fossils - was made up of 15 individuals, from infants to the elderly, pieced together from more than 1,500 fragments. Virtually no other remains from other species were found there and the bones bore no claw or tooth marks - suggesting they were not the leftovers from a predator’s larder or death trap. There was also no evidence that the creatures had been swept into the chamber by water.

Today, we unearth our past. We are not exceptional. We are not the only ones who are able to bury our dead.

South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

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