Liang Bua Cave, Indonesia

Key Dates

The hominid species Homo florisiensis was found on the island in 2003

Flores
Indonesia

Flores is a southern island of Indonesia, with an estimated population of around 1.5 million. Its human inhabitation was largely destroyed by the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake (aka the Asian Tsunami), but its stunning landscape still make it a popular tourist destination. Yet Flores, and Liang Bua Cave in particular, are most notably known in the anthropological and archaeological worlds for the 2003 discovery of Homo floresiensis, which is commonly given the sobriquet 'Hobbit', a testament to its small height and stature. The discovery, made by an Australian-Indonesian archaeological team, is thought to throw the process of human evolution apart, by dating the species as late as 12,000 years ago - the same time as our own species, Homo sapiens, was living on the planet. And a recent paper from an Australian National University PhD student suggests that Hobbits and humans may well have coexisted in the area.

Admission Fee
Admission Free
Images

Put your Flickr photos of this object into the Heritage Key group, and tag them with heritagesite-5042, to see them here!
Location
Liang Bua Cave Flores
Indonesia
8° 37' 12.4572" S, 121° 4' 1.7004" E

Google Map

find Heritage Key on Flickr, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Subscribe to RSS for the Latest News

LOG OUT - MY ACCOUNT - SITE NEWS - ABOUT - FAQ - CONTACT - TERMS OF USE - PRIVACY - EDITORIAL POLICY

Teacher? Check out our 3D Interactive Fieldtrips at QuestHistory.com

Virtual Experience - Articles & Blogs - Video - Directory - Calendar - Publications & Reviews - Quizzes - Discuss - Downloads - Subscribe - Find us on the web - Search
King Tut - Stonehenge - Terracotta Warriors - Pyramids - Archaeology - Britain - China - Egypt - Greece - Rome
© 2009-2011 Heritage Key

Subscribe to Heritage Key Updates
Email: