In 1868, in a small limestone cave outside the French village of Les Eyzies, a geologist named Édouard Lartet found the first set of specimens showing that modern humans had prehistoric roots. He happened upon the discovery due to road construction and later uncovered four adult skeletons and one infant dating back to the upper Pleistocene, about 30,000 years ago.
The site showed that these ancient humans were not only occupying Europe at the time but that they were somewhat sophisticated, having been intentionally buried amongst animal teeth and shells that had been crafted into necklaces and pendants. The scientists called the site Cro-Magnon 1, a name which stuck with these early Homo sapiens until recent years.
Being a Cro-Magnon Was Tough
Cro-Magnons were early H. sapiens, and their survival was no easy matter. We can tell from the site that the male skeleton was likely about 50 years old at the time of his death. Researchers can see damage to his bone structure, showing he likely had a debilitating fungal infection.
Some of the other skeletons had fused spines, indicating that they had endured “traumatic injury,” and the adult female seemed to have survived a period of time with a skull fracture. The injuries also show that Cro-magnons probably cared for one another, nurturing each other’s injuries so that they could mutually survive.
