Earliest human fossils found in Georgia on display in Israel

The earliest European human fossils dating back 1.8 million years, dubbed Homo georgicus and found in Dmanisi, southern Georgia, will be exhibited in Israel at the Upper Galilee Museum of Prehistory. 

This year's exhibition of 1.8 million-year-old H. georgicus Zezva and Mzia skulls was the first joint event of Georgia and Israel, announced Israeli House. 

The display was the initiative of the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business, Israeli House in Tbilisi and the National Museum of Georgia.

"The exhibition of Zezva and Mzia skulls will contribute to the popularisation of the Dmanisi Museum-Reserve and will encourage more tourists to visit Georgia,” said president of the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business, Itsik Moshe.

Zezva and Mzia are the oldest European skeleton remains. They were found in Dmanisi, an archaeological site in southern Georgia.

The two remains were of Homo georgicus – an extinct species of hominide that lived between Homo habilis and Homo erectus. To date, these are the oldest human skeletons ever discovered in Europe.

The remains were given typical old-fashioned Georgian names, Zezva (male) and Mzia (female).