have discovered a at the bottom of the ocean which they believe may be the first physical evidence of the . They discovered the skull of Homo erectus, an ancient human , as well as 6,000 animal fossils of 36 species including those of Komodo dragons, buffalos, deer, and elephant.

It is believed the skull was buried 140,000 years ago. As reported by the , it was preserved beneath layers of silt and sand in the Madura Strait, between the islands of Java and Madura, in Indonesia. Some of the animal bones had deliberate cut marks, which scientists say is proof of early humans practising hunting strategies.

The findings give an insight into Sundaland, the lost world landmass that once connected Southeast Asia in a vast plain. The fossils give scientists an idea of the behaviours of early humans and how they adapted to environmental changes.

They were originally discovered by maritime sand miners in 2011. However, experts recently established their species and age.

Harold Berghuis, an archaeologist at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, said: "This period is characterised by great morphological diversity and mobility of hominin populations in the region."

The low-lying plans of Sundaland were submerged after melting glaciers caused sea levels to rise between 14,000 and 7,000 years ago. As dredging took place during marine sand mining, workers found over 6,000 vertebrate fossils and two human skull fragments at a site near Surabaya.

Scientists then found a buried valley system from the ancient Solo Rover. They analysed the sediment layers and found indications of a thriving river ecosystem during the late Middle Pleistocene.

The researchers believe the valley and fossils date back between 162,000 and 119,000 years ago. The site is the first underwater hominin fossil locality in Sundaland.

Fossils of Stegodon's, which are similar to modern elephants, were also found. The large herbivorous mammals could weigh over 10 tons and stand at up to 13 feet tall.

Different types of deer were also discovered, indicating the existence of woodlands or grasslands with enough water and vegetation for survival. The deer would have been hunted by the early humans.