The discovery was made using cutting-edge technology to scan the skull found more than sixty years ago in the Petralona cave. Due to the lack of a preserved lower jaw for this specimen, scientists turned to another important find: Mauer’s jaw, which was excavated in Germany in 1907 and served as the holotype for the description of the species H. heidelbergensis.

Structurally, the reconstructed skull of Heidelberg Man bears a striking resemblance to another hominin known as Rhodesian Man, whose remains were found more than a century ago in a mine in what is now Zambia.

Characterized by a strong suprabrow arch, a significant amount of skull and a large facial skeleton, the reconstructed view of Heidelberg man provides a glimpse into the physical characteristics of our ancient ancestors.

It is worth noting that the jawbone used for the reconstruction belonged to a different person who lived much earlier, approximately 609,000 years ago plus or minus 40,000 years ago. Additionally, this jaw showed signs of various pathologies; This provides additional information about the health status and evolutionary history of these early human relatives.

Reconstructing the emergence of Heidelberg Man not only deepens our understanding of human evolution, but also highlights important advances in scientific method and technology that have allowed us to bridge the gap between past and present. As researchers continue to probe the past, Heidelberg Man’s image serves as a tangible link to a bygone era, offering a glimpse into the distant origins of our species.