A fossil of a partial face from a human ancestor is the oldest in western Europe, archaeologists reported Wednesday. The incomplete skull — a section of the left cheek bone and upper jaw – was found in northern Spain in 2022. The fossil is between 1.1 million and 1.4 million years old, according to research published in the journal Nature.

Researchers in Spain have discovered pieces of a fossilized face belonging to an ancient human ancestor. The fragments cannot be conclusively identified as any particular species.

Scientists report that a fossil of a partial face from a early human ancestor in Spain is between 1.1 and 1.4 million years old.