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A 700,000-year-old elephant tooth reveals a lost world where early humans lived

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In short

Researchers studying the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov archaeological site determined that the region once featured woodlands, grasslands, and marshes filled with willow and tamarisk. Advanced testing, including isotope geochemistry and 3D reconstruction, confirmed the ancient tooth belonged to the Ice Age giant Palaeoloxodon antiquus. The fossil was uncovered directly alongside basalt Acheulian stone tools such as handaxes and cleavers. These findings demonstrate how this ecological corridor served as a dependable migratory pathway for both hominins and megafauna.

Key points

  • The Levantine Corridor served as a vital ecological refuge linking ancient Africa and Eur…: The Levantine Corridor served as a vital ecological refuge linking ancient Africa and Eurasia.
  • Dependable vegetation and water sources in the region supported early human migrations du…: Dependable vegetation and water sources in the region supported early human migrations during periods of environmental change.
  • Straight-tusked elephants and prehistoric humans coexisted within a lush landscape of riv…: Straight-tusked elephants and prehistoric humans coexisted within a lush landscape of rivers, woodlands, and marshes.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

- Date:

- October 29, 2026

- Source:

- Tel-Hai University of Kiryat Shmona in the Galilee

- Summary:

- A remarkably preserved elephant tooth dating back nearly 700,000 years has revealed a surprisingly lush prehistoric world where giant elephants and early humans lived side by side. Discovered in northern Israel alongside ancient stone tools, the tooth belonged to a straight-tusked elephant, one of the largest land mammals of the Ice Age.

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A single ancient elephant tooth is offering scientists a remarkable glimpse into a world that existed nearly 700,000 years ago. Found in northern Israel, the fossil has helped researchers reconstruct a surprisingly lush prehistoric landscape filled with forests, rivers, wetlands, and abundant vegetation. This ancient environment supported enormous elephants and some of the region's earliest human populations, revealing how access to water and natural resources may have helped our ancestors survive and move between continents.

The discovery comes from Gesher Benot Ya'aqov (GBY-NBA), an archaeological site where early humans produced stone tools hundreds of thousands of years ago. Elephant remains were unearthed alongside handaxes and cleavers…

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