MicroCT scan of the fossil Kefaza 25 revealed signs of sharp object trauma, latent caries, and enamel defects. The researchers, including researchers from Tel Aviv University, also found support that the individual was buried intentionally — but emphasize that an accident cannot be completely ruled out.
Human fossil fromKapza Cave in the Lower Galilee provides a rare glimpse into the lives of the Homo sapiens who lived in the Levant more than 90 years ago. A reanalysis of the skeleton known Jump 25 It suggested that the individual was injured in the jaw while still alive, survived for some time after the injury, and was eventually buried, apparently intentionally.
The study was published on June 30, 2026, in the journal Scientific Reports. It was led by researchers from the Spanish National Center for the Study of Human Evolution (CENIEH), in collaboration with Professor Hila May and Professor Israel Hershkowitz from Tel Aviv University.
Signs of recovery from a jaw injury
The researchers combined macroscopic and microscopic examination with high-resolution computed microtomography scans. This identified a line mark that affected the lower jaw and one of the premolars. Its shape is consistent with an injury caused by a sharp object.
Bone changes consistent with a healing process were found in the area surrounding the injury. The team concluded that the event occurred during the individual's lifetime and that he survived it for at least some time. According to the researchers, this may be one of the earliest known cases of this type of injury in the archaeological record.
However, the finding must be distinguished from the interpretation. It is impossible to determine with certainty how the injury occurred. An accident cannot be ruled out, but its location and characteristics have led researchers to suggest that interpersonal violence is the more likely explanation. Therefore, the finding does not in itself prove a violent confrontation, but rather adds possible evidence to the already limited discussion of violence in the Middle Paleolithic period.
Hidden caries and enamel defects
The scans also revealed new information about Oral health of Kapza 25. The researchers identified a caries focus that was not visible on external examination as well as enamel defects. Together with previous findings from the Kapza Cave fossils, the data may help researchers examine the health status, living conditions, and hereditary or environmental factors that influenced ancient populations.
The ability to detect such changes without damaging the fossil illustrates the importance of microCT scans inPaleoanthropologyThey make it possible to see internal structures in teeth and bones and re-examine findings excavated decades ago.
Strong evidence of intentional burial
Another part of the study dealt with taphonomy — examining the processes the remains underwent from death to discovery. According to the analysis, the skeletal preservation pattern is not consistent with damage by predators or prolonged exposure to the ground. The anatomical location of the bones and their state of preservation are consistent with rapid and deliberate burial.
The conclusion reinforces previous interpretations of the Qafza Cave as an important site for understanding early Homo sapiens burial practices. Several human fossils from the Middle Paleolithic period, and is considered one of the key sites in the study of early modern human populations who lived outside of Africa.
Life, injury and burial in the same fossil
Kapza 25 connects three types of information that do not often appear together: an injury that has begun to heal, evidence of oral health, and the appropriate archaeological context forIntentional burialThis connection does not allow for the reconstruction of a complete life story, but it slightly narrows the distance between the bones and the person who lived tens of thousands of years ago.
Signs of recovery prove survival after injury, but do not by themselves prove that the individual received care from others. Similarly, intentional burial indicates complex social behavior, but does not allow us to know what beliefs or rituals accompanied it. The strength of the study lies in the combination of several lines of evidence—and the caution with which they must be interpreted.
Questions and Answers
Who was Kafza 25?
This is a partial fossil of Homo sapiens from the Qafza Cave in the Lower Galilee, dating to between about 92 and about 145 years ago.
What was discovered in the jaw?
Scans and microscopic examinations revealed signs of a sharp object impact on the lower jaw and adjacent tooth. Changes in the bone indicate that the healing process has already begun.
Does the research prove that the individual was attacked?
No. The researchers believe that interpersonal violence is the more likely possibility, but note that an accident cannot be ruled out.
What does the research teach about burial?
The condition of the skeleton and the absence of signs consistent with predator activity or prolonged exposure reinforce the conclusion that Kefaza 25 was intentionally buried.
Does the recovery prove that other people cared for him?
Not directly. It proves that the individual survived for some time after the injury. The possibility of social assistance is interesting, but cannot be proven from the finding alone.
More on the subject on the science website
- Earliest evidence of interbreeding between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals discovered in Israel
- Homo sapiens and Neanderthals were not enemies and even cooperated
- Talking Bones: Human Skeletons from More Than 100 Years Ago in the Land of Israel
- A rare prehistoric cave from about 300 years ago was discovered in Foreidis
- The Man from Ramla lived for a long time alongside Homo sapiens
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