A lesion consistent with sharp-force trauma on the jaw of the Qafzeh 25 fossil, found in the Qafzeh cave in Israel, points to a possible episode of interpersonal violence among Homo sapiens more than 90,000 years ago. The finding is part of a study led by the National Research Center for Human Evolution (CENIEH), published in Scientific Reports.
The mark, about 9 millimeters on the buccal surface of the left mandible, also affects the lower left third premolar, of which about 7 millimeters show damage. Its general V-shape and trajectory lead the authors to conclude that the impact came from a sharp object.
The bone exhibits remodeling, localized porosity, and thickening at the fracture edges, features that indicate the healing process had already begun before the individual’s death. According to the research, the lesion did not reach the tooth’s pulp chamber, which could explain the absence of a dental infection associated with the trauma.
The research, conducted in conjunction with specialists from Tel Aviv University, combined macroscopic and microscopic analysis with high-resolution computed microtomography. This review detected a relatively deep lesion that compromised the mandibular bone and the premolar, and confirmed that the individual survived for a significant period after receiving the wound.
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The study of the Qafzeh 25 fossil, found in the Qafzeh cave in Israel, shows a lesion on the jaw consistent with sharp-force trauma from over 90,000 years ago.
that an accidental origin cannot be categorically ruled out. Sharp-force injuries are extremely rare in the Middle Paleolithic, and the only comparable case cited in the literature is that of Shanidar 3.
Unprecedented dental pathologies in Qafzeh 25
The study also documented dental alterations not previously described in this individual. Microtomography revealed a hidden cavity in the rotated lower left second premolar, covered by a thin layer of enamel with no external opening. The researchers interpret the internal demineralization as a non-cavitated lesion of bacterial origin.
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Research indicates that this is the first documented case of caries in a premolar within the Qafzeh assemblage. The work also reviewed surface enamel loss on the first lower molars, although the authors did not conclude with certainty that these were caries. The Qafzeh 25 fossil mandible, found in Israel, shows a wound consistent with sharp-force trauma from over 90,000 years ago, indicating possible interpersonal violence.
A deliberate burial
The team reviewed the taphonomy of the skeleton to reconstruct what happened to the remains after death. The results rule out damage caused by carnivores or prolonged exposure of the corpse. The study describes postmortem fractures and bone compression, but notes the absence of weathering, trampling, root marks, or carnivore tooth marks on the observable surfaces.
That anatomical preservation, according to the authors, is consistent with rapid burial in a stable environment, which reinforces the interpretation of Qafzeh as a funerary space with several deliberate burials.
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The Qafzeh cave, in Lower Galilee, near Nazareth, has provided remains of at least 27 individuals and constitutes one of the most relevant human assemblages of the Middle Paleolithic. The Mousterian sequence of the site has been dated between 92,000 and 145,000 years.
Ana Pantoja Pérez, lead author of the study and member of the DEATHREVOL group at CENIEH, stated that the results “provide new evidence to the debate on the origin of complex behaviors.” The healed wound, dental pathologies, and funerary context expand the available information on how some of the first communities of Homo sapiens known outside of Africa dealt with physical harm, illness, and death.
