South Africa, the cradle of humanity: a new look at the migration of Homo sapiens

But where exactly and by what route Homo sapiens spread across the planet is still the subject of scientific debate. A new study by an international team of scientists offers a fresh look at this problem. As The Conversation reports, the authors suggest that the first humans left the continent not from the east, as previously thought, but from the coast of southern Africa.

According to a review paper published in the journal Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, the region of the southern cape of modern South Africa could have been the starting point for the migration of intelligent man. Scientists believe that the first groups began moving along the east coast about 70,000 years ago, and left Africa via the Arabian Peninsula about 50-40,000 years ago.

The authors' argumentation is based on geographical, climatic, archaeological and palaeogenetic data. The key factor was access to marine resources - crustaceans and molluscs. This gave coastal dwellers a serious advantage over those who lived inland and depended on hunting and gathering.

Archaeological sites such as the Pinnacle Point complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are one proof. It contains the earliest traces of modern human behaviour: the use of red pigments, engraving on ochre, techniques for making small stone tools and even cooking "recipes" dating back up to 82,000 years.

The inhabitants of the southern tip of Africa are thought to have already wielded bows and arrows, knew how to heat-treat stone and made sophisticated tools. Researchers also point to finds of jewellery and signs of early art - important indicators of abstract thinking and social organisation.

Global cooling and the Toba volcanic eruption about 74,000 years ago wiped out many human populations. But Homo sapiens in southern Africa survived and continued to evolve. The lowering of sea levels during the ice ages exposed vast coastal plains that provided additional territory and food.

The authors believe that the coastal route was more promising than the land route. It offered a mild climate, access to fresh water and food, and less chance of encounters with dangerous animals and other groups. The lack of comparable coastal culture on the east coast of Africa confirms the uniqueness of the southern route.

Red Sea level studies show: about 65,000 years ago, the strait between Africa and Arabia was much narrower than it is today. This made the migration to Eurasia possible. The ideal conditions for the "exodus" from Africa, according to the authors, were formed about 60 thousand years ago.

Aggregate data indicate that it was the southern coast of Africa that could have been the cradle of not only anatomically modern man, but also a carrier of advanced culture, technology and the ability to travel long distances. These qualities ensured the successful expansion of Homo sapiens around the world.