During an excavation of 48 sets of remains from graves in Taiwan, archaeologists made a surprising discovery.

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A 4,800-year-old fossil near Taichung, Taiwan, appears to be a woman cradling a baby.

Time reported that Chu Whei-lee, a curator at Taiwan's National Museum of Natural Science, told Reuters he was shocked at the discovery.

"When it was unearthed, all of the archaeologists and staff members were shocked," Whei-lee said. "Why? Because the mother was looking down at the baby in her hands."

CBS News reported that the discovery is significant because it marks the earliest sign of human life in that region.

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Tracy Woodard from InTown Cares (left) and Lauren Hopper from Mercy Care organization work with residents at the Copperton Street encampment in August 2024. 
(Miguel Martinez / AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez