Footprints are more than just impressions in the ground—they are echoes of the past, frozen in time.
In Tanzania, a rare and astonishing collection of over 400 ancient footprints has provided a glimpse into the daily lives of early Homo sapiens.
These tracks, found on the mudflats near the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, date back between 5,800 and 19,100 years ago.
Unlike fossils, which reveal only bones, footprints tell a story of movement, behavior, and social interaction—a fleeting moment captured in stone.
One set of tracks suggests that a group of women and children traveled together, while another reveals someone moving at a brisk jogging speed.
Even more intriguing is a single set of footprints that appears to have been left by an individual with a broken big toe.
This level of detail offers an unprecedented look at ancient human mobility—who they traveled with, how they moved, and possibly even what they were doing at the time.
A Journey Into the Past
The discovery of these footprints near the village of Engare Sero was first brought to scientists’ attention in 2008.
However, due to the complexity of the site, it has taken years of research to date and analyze the prints.
Now, with the findings finally published, the scientific community is buzzing with excitement.
Geologist and lead researcher Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce from Appalachian State University described her emotional reaction upon seeing the site:
“The first time we went out there, I remember getting out of the vehicle, and I teared up a little bit.”
Liutkus-Pierce, deeply passionate about human origins, was moved by the realization that these footprints belonged to our direct ancestors—people who walked the same earth thousands of years ago.
How Were These Footprints Preserved?
The prints were likely preserved by mudflows from the towering Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, which stands at 2,332 meters (7,650 feet).
After a volcanic eruption, a layer of ash and mud covered the ground, and before it had fully dried, humans walked across it, leaving their mark.
The tracks were then buried and remained hidden for millennia, only to be revealed by erosion in modern times.
Initially, scientists believed that the mud was laid down directly by an ash cloud, which would have dated the footprints to a staggering 120,000 years old.
However, further analysis suggested that the ash was transported by water, leading to a revised age estimate of 19,100 years or less.
By using geochronological techniques to analyze the youngest crystals buried in the mud, researchers were able to pinpoint a more accurate timeline.
The dating method, though reliable, still comes with a margin of error of a few thousand years.
Rethinking Ancient Human Mobility
For decades, the common assumption about early Homo sapiens was that they were primarily solitary hunters or moved in small nuclear family groups.
However, the Engare Sero footprints challenge that view.
The evidence suggests that these ancient humans traveled in larger, mixed-gender groups, possibly as part of a larger social network.
Even more surprisingly, some of the prints show movement at running speeds.
This suggests that these early humans were not just casually walking but perhaps engaged in hunting, escaping danger, or even ritualistic running.
The presence of a possible injury, seen in the footprints of an individual with a broken toe, adds another layer of intrigue—did this person struggle behind the group?
Were they helped along? These are questions that remain unanswered but hint at the complexities of human relationships in prehistoric times.
What Else Can These Footprints Tell Us?
With the timeframe now better understood, researchers are shifting their focus to the social dynamics of these ancient humans.
The sheer number of footprints concentrated in one area has led scientists to nickname a section of the site the “dance hall”—a place where so many tracks overlap that it almost appears as if a group gathered there for an unknown reason.
“It’s completely nuts,” said William Harcourt-Smith, a researcher from the City University of New York, describing the dense cluster of footprints.
Could this have been a meeting point, a place of ritual, or simply a heavily trafficked route? The answers remain elusive, but the potential insights are groundbreaking.
Engare Sero vs. The Oldest Known Human Footprints
The Engare Sero prints are not the oldest footprints ever discovered—that title belongs to the famous Laetoli footprints, also found in Tanzania, which date back 3.6 million years.
However, those prints were left by Australopithecus afarensis, an earlier hominin species, whereas the Engare Sero footprints were made by modern Homo sapiens.
This makes the Engare Sero site one of the most significant discoveries in understanding recent human evolution, offering direct evidence of how our ancestors walked, traveled, and interacted with one another.
Protecting a Priceless Discovery
With such a rare and important site, preservation efforts are crucial.
The Engare Sero footprints have been fenced off to prevent damage, but they have also become an unexpected tourist attraction.
Visitors intrigued by the idea of literally walking in the footsteps of ancient humans have flocked to the site, raising both awareness and concerns about conservation.
For those who can’t make the trip, a CGI reconstruction created by artist Katie Hill offers a stunning visualization of how these early humans may have moved across the landscape.
The Story Is Still Being Written
The footprints of Engare Sero are more than just an archaeological curiosity; they are a direct link to our past, offering a rare, intimate view of human life thousands of years ago.
As research continues, new discoveries may further reshape what we think we know about early Homo sapiens.
One thing is certain: these ancient footprints tell a story of movement, survival, and connection—a story that, until now, had been lost to time.
