Mata Menge

Mata Menge is a significant Middle Pleistocene archaeological site located in the So'a Basin on the island of Flores, Indonesia. The site is notable for its lithic artifacts and hominin remains, which are attributed to early hominin species possibly ancestral to Homo floresiensis. The stone tools found at the site show a simple technological level, primarily consisting of flakes and cores made from volcanic materials, chert, chalcedony, chlorite, and opal. Hominin fossils discovered at Mata Menge, including a mandible and teeth from at least three individuals, are dated to approximately 700,000 years before present, making them the oldest hominin fossils found on Flores. The site provides essential insights into the effects of insular dwarfism and the evolution of hominins in Southeast Asia.