Homo antecessor  This species name is highly debated with many
considering the remains to be Homo heidelbergensis. Whatever
species they come from, these fossils are the oldest Homo found
in Europe.  Background to discovery   This species lived about
800,000 to 1.2 million years ago in Europe.  Important fossil
discoveries  These are the oldest human remains found in Europe.
Remains of over 80 fossils representing at least 6 individuals
and including skeletal and cranial remains were found at Gran
Dolina in Atapuerca, Spain, between 1994-1996. These remains
date to at least 780,000 years old. Due to the unique
combination of features, the discovers believed that they had
found a new species. The name Homo antecessor was announced in
1997 by JL Arsuaga.  In 2007-2008 researchers working at Sima
del Elefante, also in Atapuerca, recovered remains dating
to about 1.2 million years ago. The human fossils included
an isolated molar and a jaw bone with some front teeth (ATE9-1).
The molar was described as belonging