Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/11499/7392
Title: Dating the Homo erectus bearing travertine from Kocabaş (Denizli, Turkey) at at least 1.1 Ma
Authors: Lebatard, A.-E.
Alçiçek, Mehmet Cihat
Rochette, P.
Khatib, S.
Vialet, A.
Boulbes, N.
Bourlès, D.L.
Keywords: Burial dating
Cosmogenic nuclide
Homo erectus
Paleomagnetism
Villafranchian
Cosmogenic nuclides
Deposition
Geomagnetism
Isotopes
Limestone
Biodiversity
biochronology
cosmogenic radionuclide
dating method
fossil assemblage
fossil record
paleomagnetism
paleontology
sedimentology
skull
travertine
Hominidae
Homo georgicus
Mammalia
Abstract: Since its discovery within a travertine quarry, the fragmentary cranium of the only known Turkish Homo erectus, the Kocabaş hominid, has led to conflicting biochronological estimations. First estimated to be ~500ka old, the partial skull presents a combination of archaic and evolved features that puts it as an intermediate specimen between the Dmanisi fossils (Homo georgicus) and the Chinese Zhoukoudian skulls (Homo erectus) respectively dated to 1.8 to ~0.8Ma. Here we present a multidisciplinary study combining sedimentological, paleontological and paleoanthropological observations together with cosmogenic nuclide concentration and paleomagnetic measurements to provide an absolute chronological framework for the Upper fossiliferous Travertine unit where the Kocabaş hominid and fauna were discovered. The 26Al/10Be burial ages determined on pebbles from conglomeratic levels framing the Upper fossiliferous Travertine unit, which exhibits an inverse polarity, constrains its deposition to before the Cobb Mountain sub-chron, that is between 1.22 and ~1.5Ma. The alternative match of the normal polarity recorded above the travertine with the Jaramillo subchron (lower limit 1.07 Ma) may also be marginally compatible with cosmogenic nuclides interpretation, thus the proposed minimum age of 1.1 Ma for the end of massive travertine deposition. The actual age of the fossils is likely to be in the 1.1-1.3 Ma range. This absolute date is in close agreement with the paleoanthropological conclusions based on morphometric comparisons implying that Kocabaş hominid belongs to the Homo erectus s.l. group that includes Chinese and African fossils, and is different from Middle and Upper Pleistocene specimens. Furthermore, this date is confirmed by the large mammal assemblage, typical of the late Villafranchian. Because it attests to the antiquity of human occupation of the Anatolian Peninsula and one of the waves of settlements out of Africa, this work challenges the current knowledge of the Homo erectus dispersal over Eurasia. © 2014 The Authors.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/11499/7392
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2013.12.031
ISSN: 0012-821X
Appears in Collections:Mühendislik Fakültesi Koleksiyonu
Scopus İndeksli Yayınlar Koleksiyonu / Scopus Indexed Publications Collection
WoS İndeksli Yayınlar Koleksiyonu / WoS Indexed Publications Collection

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