350,000 years ago, someone left "devilish footprints" on molten lava. Who were these people?

Approximately 350,000 years ago, a now-extinct volcano in southern Italy erupted, spewing a plume of ash high into the Earth's atmosphere and filling the nearby valley with flattened pyroclastic material. While the lava that was ejected cooled, a mysterious group of ancient people took a stroll, leaving behind footprints in the soft rock that have now been discovered by scientists, according to IFLScience.

Researchers have dubbed these impressions on the solidified lava "devil's footprints" and are now eager to determine who they belong to. Scientists analyzed the footprints found on the slope formed by the pyroclastic flow ejected by the Rocca Monfina volcano hundreds of thousands of years ago. It is believed that the tracks were made by at least four individuals of varying sizes and weights.

During their analysis, the researchers employed a series of equations that had previously been used to estimate the overall height and mass of ancient humans based on their footprints. Unfortunately, most of these formulas are designed to extract data from impressions left on relatively flat surfaces. At the same time, the scientists were examining tracks left on steep terrain, which posed several challenges.

The researchers believe that the footprints were made at a time when the lava had cooled enough to walk on, yet remained soft. Aside from the fact that this completely new promenade was steep and uneven, it was also wet and slippery, prompting the ancient people to alter their gait and foot positioning.

Due to the unevenness, none of the equations could provide the scientists with reliable values for the physical dimensions of the prehistoric individuals who left the tracks. The team's results varied significantly depending on which specific formula was applied. Fortunately, after careful selection, the scientists were able to determine the parameters of the ancient people who left the footprints: their weight was likely between 55.5 to 64.6 kilograms, and their height ranged from 152.9 to 176.7 centimeters.

Overall, according to the study, the "devil's footprints" were made by individuals with an average weight of about 60 kilograms and a height of 166 centimeters. These characteristics align with estimates for the extinct species Homo heidelbergensis, which roamed Europe during the eruption.

It is believed that Homo heidelbergensis—an ancestral species of both modern humans and Neanderthals—was of similar height, although bones found in Spain suggest that some individuals of this species may have reached up to 181.6 centimeters.

The authors of the study, based on the varying sizes of the footprints, concluded that the group that left the "devil's footprints" likely consisted of two women or children and at least one adult male. However, the scientists acknowledge that their data is not precise enough to make definitive claims.