Mongoose , paleoanthropological location in New South Wales , southeast Australia , known for ancient human remains discovered there in the 1968 and 1974. The mongoose remains composed of two relatively complete fossil skeletons Homo sapiens ; On the site were also herd and Artifacts found. In Mungo is the earliest evidence of human presence in Australia, a destination that could only be reached by a multi-day sea voyage. One of the skeletons shows the earliest evidence of cremation yet discovered.
The geological age of the specimens is both important and controversial. The importance lies in the fact that the mongoose remains may belong to some of the earliest Asian representatives of H. sapiens . The controversy lies in the fact that geological dating techniques and precise stratigraphy have been interpreted differently by those studying the site. Using newer techniques based on background radiation estimation, some researchers have proposed dates for the mongoose remains from 42,000 to 48,000 and even 62,000 years ago. Due to the lack of reliably dated evidence of modern humans in Asia well before 40,000 years ago, the earlier dates of these proposals have been from other investigators criticized or with skepticism handles .