MADRID, June 29 (RIA Novosti) - The fossilized remains of the oldest European ever discovered have been unearthed in the north of Spain, a spokesman for the country's culture ministry said Friday.
The bones, which date back 1.2 million years, were dug up near the town of Atapuerca in the Burgos province, where several sets of ancient remains have been discovered in recent years.
"Our find could significantly influence scientists' understanding of the origins of modern Europeans," the spokesman said.
He said the fossil was recovered by a young paleontologist by the name of Rosa Huguet, who was working under the guidance of Professor Jose Maria Bermudez de Castro.
In 1997, human remains dating back 800,000 years were found, along with a number of stone tools and weapons.
