The Flores Hobbits: the real story of ancient humans the size of a child

Flores became world-famous not only for its Komodo dragons. It was here that the remains of an ancient human the height of a modern child were found – Homo floresiensis. The discovery turned out to be so unusual that more than twenty years later scientists are still arguing about where this species came from. How did it manage to survive for so long on an isolated island? We tell you in our article.

In 2003, archaeologists were working in the Liang Bua cave on the Indonesian island of Flores. At a depth of several metres they discovered an almost complete skeleton. At first the find looked like the remains of a child: the person's height during life was a little over a metre, and the brain volume was about three times smaller than that of a modern human.

But it was not a child.

According to research, the skeleton belonged to an adult woman of about 30 years old. Further study of the remains showed that scientists were dealing with a previously unknown species of ancient human. It was named Homo floresiensis, and because of its small stature it was quickly nicknamed the "Flores hobbit". And the Liang Bua cave, where it all began, can be visited during a journey around the island.

What was found in the Liang Bua cave?

The first almost complete skeleton was designated LB1. The woman's height was about 106 centimetres, her weight approximately 30 kilograms, and her brain volume around 400 cubic centimetres. For comparison, in modern humans this figure is on average about three times larger. The excavations continued, and the bones of other individuals were found in Liang Bua. This is not about a single person with unusual features, but about representatives of a separate ancient population.

Stone tools were found next to the remains – they were used for processing food and for hunting. Among the animals inhabiting Flores at that time were dwarf stegodons – relatives of modern elephants, large rats and Komodo dragons, which travellers can still see to this day.

Why were the ancient people on Flores so small?

Scientists explain the small stature of Homo floresiensis partly by island dwarfism. On isolated islands large animals sometimes become smaller in the course of evolution: there is less food, the territory is limited, and a small body size can be an advantage.

Some researchers consider Homo erectus, whose representatives had long lived in Southeast Asia, to be its ancestor. Others allow that the ancestor could have belonged to an even more ancient and originally small branch of the genus Homo. New finds are still being made on Flores to this day.

In the Mata Menge area, hominin remains about 700 thousand years old were found. Among them is a fragment of an adult's humerus, which turned out to be even smaller than that of Homo floresiensis from Liang Bua.

When did the Flores hobbits live?

After the discovery of Homo floresiensis in 2003, a sensational version appeared: the initial dating suggested that these people could have survived on the island until about 12 thousand years ago. If this had been confirmed, they would have existed almost until historical times. The geology of the cave was studied in more detail. The layers were arranged in a more complex way than previously thought. Today the remains from Liang Bua are dated to approximately 100–60 thousand years ago, and the stone tools associated with them are found in layers roughly 190–50 thousand years old.

Why did Homo floresiensis disappear?

There is still no exact answer as to why this species disappeared. For a long time the version was discussed that the disappearance could have been linked to the arrival of modern humans. But during the revision of the dates it was found that there is a time gap between the last known remains of the "hobbits" and traces of Homo sapiens in Liang Bua.

In 2025, researchers reconstructed the climate of Flores and concluded that approximately 76–61 thousand years ago the area became noticeably drier. At the same time, the number of dwarf stegodon remains – an important part of the local ecosystem – decreased. Climate change could have been one of the reasons for the decline of the ancient human population. But it cannot be said that it was the drought that finally wiped out Homo floresiensis.

It is unknown whether small groups could have survived in other parts of the island after the traces from Liang Bua disappeared.

Ebu Gogo: a legend or a memory of real people

On Flores there have long been stories about the Ebu Gogo – small humanlike creatures that lived in the forests. After the discovery of Homo floresiensis, a version appeared that local legends could have preserved the memory of real "hobbits". Journalists took a great liking to this story. But there is no scientific evidence for it. The known remains are separated from historical times by tens of thousands of years. Although the coincidence is curious!

Can you visit the Liang Bua cave?

Today Liang Bua is open to visitors. The cave is located not far from Ruteng, in the central part of Flores.

Western Flores is mountain roads, rice fields, small villages and areas that most travellers who fly in for a trip to Komodo simply never reach. Labuan Bajo is a convenient starting point for the whole trip. It is easy to get from the airport to the town by transfer. Here you can book boats, yachts and sea tours around the islands for diving and snorkelling, and there are hotels and resorts for any style of holiday.

The three-day journey around Flores already includes overnight stays in Wae Rebo and Ruteng, a car with a driver, meals, entrance tickets and all transfers between locations. There is no need to separately look for hotels along the route, arrange transfers from Labuan Bajo and piece together a trip to the island's mountain areas. Such a route is convenient to combine with a trip to Komodo National Park, in order to get to know not only the islands of the archipelago, but Flores itself. And also to reach the place where, in 2003, mysterious representatives of the human genus were found.

FAQ

Where was Homo floresiensis found?
The remains of Homo floresiensis were discovered in 2003 in the Liang Bua cave on the Indonesian island of Flores

How tall were the Flores hobbits?
The most complete skeleton found belonged to an adult woman about 106 centimetres tall and weighing approximately 30 kilograms.

When did Homo floresiensis live?
The remains from Liang Bua date to approximately 100–60 thousand years ago.

Why is Homo floresiensis called a hobbit?
The nickname appeared because of their very small stature: adult representatives of the species were about the size of a modern child.

Can you visit Liang Bua?
Yes. The cave is located not far from Ruteng and is included in the route of the three-day journey around Flores.