In 2004, Australian archaeologists were digging in a cave on the island of Flores when they discovered tiny skeletons. These skeletons were the size of a 3d grade child and appeared to be human.
At first the discoverers thought they had uncovered the bones of a child. When they got the tests results back, however, it became clear that they had something extraordinary on their hands. Analysis of the bones, teeth and showed that this was a young adult female, and the remains showed obvious primitive human characteristics.
Miniature Humans
The first skeleton discovered was the most complete. She would have stood about 3 ½ feet tall and weighed about 55 pounds. Estimates put her age at time of death at about 30 years old.
The cave where this find was made has been an active archeological dig since around where the skeletons were discovered has been rich in scientific discoveries. Other archaeological finds include stone tools, and the bones of dwarf elephants, called stegodons, Komodo dragons, and other animals.
Hobbits in Indonesia
While the official name for this new species of human is Homo floresiensis, their tiny stature has led to the people being nicknamed, "Hobbits," after the race of tiny beings in JRR Tolkien's book series, The Lord of the Rings.
According to Hillary Mayell in the online National Geographic News article, "Hobbit-Like Human Ancestor Found in Asia," October 27, 2004, these people lived at the same time as modern humans and may have had some interaction. Although modern human skeletons were found in more recent strata than the hobbits and the stegodon, it is possible that there was some contact. Mayell writes that, according to researchers, rumors and stories of miniature humans have been a part of the island's culture for centuries.
Isolated Community
In all, scientists have uncovered enough remains and fragments to account for seven individuals. The leading theories suggest that these dwarf humans lived between 95,000 and 12,000 years ago. Remnants of sharpened stone tools, burned bones of birds and animals that appeared to have been cooked over a fire, and evidence that these people hunted in groups seem to indicate that they had a primitive community and may perhaps have had verbal communication.
Many of the artifacts found in the area seem to indicate that at some time in the past, the larger Homo erectus may have migrated to Flores from Java. Many researchers believe that the so-called "hobbit" is actually a descendant of that same Homo erectus, and may have evolved into its small size due to its isolated surroundings. This is known to sometimes happen in nature depending on predators and food sources.
True Dwarfs or Microcephaly?
Despite these findings, other scientists find it hard to believe that Homo floresiensis is truly human. Instead they theorize that these were modern humans who suffered from a condition known as microcephaly.
In the online article "Controversial Hobbit Looks Tiny in Person," dated April 22, 2009, LiveScience staff writer Clara Moskovitz states that Florida State University anthropologist Dean Falk compared the size and shape of the Homo floresiensis brain to that of modern humans, chimpanzees, the early hominid species Homo erectus, and humans with a disorder called microcephaly. She concluded that the hobbit brain is the closest to Homo erectus.
"In our view we dispensed at that point with the microcephaly hypothesis," Falk said. "It's not just that their brains are small; they're differently shaped. It's its own species."
The hobbit seems to to have become extinct, along with the stegodon they hunted, due to the eruption of a volcano on the island.
