It is a partial skull that was found in a narrow passage of a cave. How the skull ended up here separate from the body is still a big mystery.

A few years ago, researchers in Africa discovered the remains of a new hominin species: gay naledi. The humanoid had a small brain and ape-like shoulders, but is otherwise quite similar to humans. Researchers are now again with big news. Because for the first time there are now remains of a gay naledichild discovered.

gay naledi

When the first remains of a gay naledi were discovered in South Africa’s Rising Star caves, it was thought to be an early human species. Until in 2017 remains were found again. And after dating, they turned out to be between 335,000 and 236,000 years old. Very surprising! Because that means that this hominin roamed Africa at the same time as our ancestors. “gay naledi is one of the most enigmatic ancient human relatives ever discovered,” said study researcher Lee Berger. “It is clearly a primitive species, existing at a time when we thought only modern humans lived in Africa. Their mere presence at that time and in this place complicates our understanding of who did what first—for example, inventing complex stone tools and even ritual practices.”

leti

But perhaps the new discovery can provide more insight into this. Researchers are in a tight and secluded passage in the Rising Star caves on the skull of a gay naledi-child bounced. The team named the child ‘Leti’, after the Setswana word ‘letimela’ meaning ‘the lost one’. Leti’s skull consists of 28 skull fragments and six teeth, which the researchers pieced together with their own hands. “This is the first partial skull of a gay naledichild found so far,” said researcher Juliet Brophy. “This is beginning to give us insight into all the life stages of this remarkable species.”

The discovered skull of Leti. Image: Wits University

Exactly how long ago Leti lived is currently unknown. “We cannot date the area where Leti was discovered,” the researchers wrote. “But the remains of other gay naledi those found nearby have been dated to be between 236,000 and 335,000 years old. At this point, we assume that Leti is the same age as these nearby remains.” Based on the teeth, the researchers estimated that Leti was between four and six years old at the time of death. At least, if Leti grew in the same way as humans. “At the moment we just don’t know exactly how fast gay naledichildren grew,” the researchers write. “So it’s possible she was younger.”

Find of a child

It is very special that researchers have discovered the remains of a child here. Child skulls of humanoids are rarely found. That’s because children’s remains are often thin and extremely fragile. The fact that Leti’s skull has withstood the test of time is very unique. “We are now able to better understand the growth and development of this species,” said researcher Christopher Walker.

Unclear

At this time, the researchers do not yet know whether Leti was a boy or a girl. It is also a great mystery how the skull of the child, detached from the rest of the body, ended up in the narrow passage of the cave. “We found no damage on the remains that we can attribute to predators or scavengers,” the researchers write. “We also found no evidence that the skull was displaced by water.” The researchers do not assume that more of Leti’s bones are buried in the same spot. “The site where Leti’s skull was found is very difficult to access,” they write. “But at this stage, it appears that only Leti’s skull was in the narrow passage.” The discovery of a single child’s skull in such a remote place in the cave system raises the pressing question of how these remains got there. “It’s one of many mysteries that surround this fascinating extinct human relative,” Berger said.

Research in the caves continues. Because there may be many other remnants of it waiting gay naledi here to discover. New discoveries are likely to shed more light on whether the cave’s chambers and corridors are, in fact, a burial site of gay naledi represent, as the team originally suggested. We may hear more soon.