In the very core of the Arabian desert, traces were discovered that prompt a different view of early human history. Where lifeless sands stretch today, a world of water, animals, and brief human presence once existed. The finding points to an episode that previously could only be surmised. Nature reports this.
Traces Appearing Where They Were Not Expected
In the western part of the Nefud desert, in Saudi Arabia, researchers examined a depression that was a shallow freshwater lake over one hundred thousand years ago. During this short damp spell, animals flocked here, leaving behind impressions set in sedimentary rock. Among the tracks of elephants and camels, scientists identified human ones—distinct in form and proportion. A total of seven imprints were recorded, scattered along the ancient shoreline. Their morphology suggests anatomically modern people, making the discovery particularly important for comprehending early Homo sapiens migrations.
The Earliest Direct Evidence of Human Presence in Arabia
The site was named Alathar, which translates from Arabic as “trace.” Dating via optically stimulated luminescence indicated an age of about 115 thousand years—the last interglacial period, when the region’s climate was noticeably milder than the present. According to researchers, these prints belong to early Homo sapiens and are the most ancient direct proofs of their presence on the Arabian Peninsula. Similar findings supplement data on the complex and uneven expansion of humans out of Africa, which was previously judged mainly from bones and tools, as occurred when studying early human evolution.
“Seven hominin traces were confidently identified,” stated the study’s authors, noting that Neanderthals were absent in the region during this time.
A Brief Visit, Not Life by the Lake
No stone tools, human bones, or fire traces were found at Alathar. This suggests the location was not a campsite. People likely approached the lake only for a short time—to drink water and continue their journey. Sediment layers also preserved dozens of tracks from other animals, indicating a rich ecosystem and seasonal movements. The rapid burial of the impressions ensured their rare preservation: experiments show that such traces usually wash away within several days.
Green Corridors Through the Desert
The imprints were left during an era when Arabia temporarily transformed into a series of lakes and savannas. These “green windows” created ecological corridors between Africa, the Levant, and South Asia. During such phases, people could penetrate deep into the peninsula, utilizing water and shared resources with animals. Such data aligns well with other discoveries showing that the history of human settlement was intermittent and climate-dependent, as is the case with findings shedding light on ancient human forms.
The traces at Alathar are rare direct evidence of movement, not abstract human presence. They record a moment when humans and animals shared a single water source, then vanished with the climate change. Such discoveries allow us to view the past not as a static map of migrations, but as a sequence of brief opportunities our ancestors knew how to seize.
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