Scientists have discovered the identity of those responsible for the "Devil's footprints" in Italy.

The ancestors of modern humans walked along the slope of the Rocca Monfina volcano in Italy, leaving a literal mark in history. Only now have scientists been able to understand who they were.

This is discussed in a study published in the journal Quaternary. The traces in question were found in rocks that are 350,000 years old, and among the locals, they were nicknamed the "devil's trail" or "devil's footprints," as it was believed that only some supernatural entity could have walked on the hot lava.

However, it later became clear that these footprints were made by relatives of humans. The "trick" is that they walked on soft, cooled ash (ignimbrite), which would later be cemented by water and over millennia would turn into solid rock.

The "devil's trail" itself consists of footprints from four hominins descending steeply from the crater. For a long time, they were covered by a layer of soil but resurfaced due to erosion only in the late 18th to early 19th century. They were first studied in 2002, after which scientists reported that they likely belonged to the "Heidelberg man" (Homo heidelbergensis) and were left approximately 350,000 years ago. This makes them the second oldest footprints of human ancestors in Europe, following those from Happisburgh (England), which date back 950,000 to 850,000 years ago.

In the new study, scientists identified specific individuals from the footprints and determined that there were at least four of them. Their average height is estimated at 166 centimeters, but the values range from 137 to 177 centimeters. They also varied in weight—from 30 to 70 kilograms, although this may be influenced by the slope of the surface or individual walking patterns.

The research indicated that all individuals experienced difficulties while descending and occasionally slipped down the slope. To maintain balance, they altered their gait and direction.

No surprising revelations about our ancestors emerged— all height and weight parameters are quite typical for Heidelberg people, who are considered ancestors of both Neanderthals and modern humans.

As reported earlier, scientists discovered the oldest man-made structure in Africa. This unique bridge was constructed 476,000 years ago, long before the appearance of modern humans.