The province has been inhabited by humans since the prehistoric-era. Remains of a "Homo erectus", known as "Java Man", were found along the banks of the Bengawan Solo River, and date back to 1.7 million years ago.</ref> What is present-day Central Java was once under the control of several Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, Islamic sultanates, and the Dutch East Indies colonial government. Central Java was also the centre of the Indonesian independence movement. As the majority of modern-day Indonesians are of Javanese descent, both Central Java and East Java have a major impact on Indonesia's social, political, and economic life.