A fossil of a partial face from a human ancestor is the oldest in western Europe, archaeologists reported Wednesday.

A fossil of a partial face from a human ancestor is the oldest in western Europe, archaeologists reported Wednesday. The incomplete skull — a section of the left cheek bone and upper jaw – was found in northern Spain in 2022. The fossil is between 1.1 million and 1.4 million years old, according to research published in the journal Nature.

The prehistoric facial bones were found buried in 50 feet of mud and silt, and are believed to be 1.1 to 1.4 million years old, researchers said.

It marks the first time significant remains older than 1 million years old have been discovered in Western Europe.