Genetic Analysis Reveals Modern Humans Reached Northern Europe 45,000 Years Ago, Coexisting with Neanderthals
In a groundbreaking discovery, genetic analysis of bone fragments excavated from an archaeological site in Ranis, Germany has provided conclusive evidence that modern humans, known as Homo sapiens, reached northern Europe around 45,000 years ago. This finding pushes back the timeline of modern human arrival in Europe by thousands of years and reveals that they coexisted with Neanderthals for several millennia before the latter went extinct. Moreover, the analysis indicates that Neanderthals and humans interbred during this period, as evidenced by the presence of Neanderthal DNA in the modern human genome.
The bone fragments were discovered at the base of a medieval castle, buried 24 feet deep into the layered sediment of the Ilsenhöhle cave. Alongside the bone fragments, scientists also found leaf-shaped spear points and animal remains. These findings provide compelling evidence that Homo sapiens existed in northern Europe 45,000 years ago.
Further analysis of the thirteen bone fragments’ DNA confirmed that they belonged to Homo sapiens, and their mitochondrial sequences matched those of other European populations. Interestingly, several fragments shared the same maternal lineages, suggesting that they came from the same individual or close female relatives.
This genetic evidence supports previous discoveries that Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis interbred occasionally as the two species interacted. It also strengthens the idea that the migration of modern humans into Europe and Asia around 50,000 years ago played a role in the extinction of Neanderthals, who had inhabited the region for over half a million years.
The excavation at Ranis posed a logistical challenge, requiring elaborate scaffolding to support the trench as scientists dug down to a depth of 8 meters. The findings from this excavation are detailed in three papers published in the prestigious journals Nature and Nature Ecology & Evolution.
The stone blades found at Ranis, known as leaf points, bear similarities to stone tools discovered at various sites in Moravia, Poland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. These tools are believed to have been produced by the same culture, known as the Lincombian–Ranisian–Jerzmanowician (LRJ) culture or technocomplex.
Previously, the Ranis site had been dated to be at least 40,000 years old. However, without recognizable bones to indicate who made the tools, it was unclear whether they were the work of Neanderthals or Homo sapiens. The recent discovery at Ranis provides evidence of the earliest dispersal of Homo sapiens into the northern latitudes of Europe. It turns out that stone artifacts previously attributed to Neanderthals were actually part of the early Homo sapiens toolkit.
Further examination of animal teeth and bones found near the site revealed that these early humans lived in a harsh tundra landscape populated by reindeer, cave bears, horses, and woolly rhinoceros. The conditions in this region were comparable to modern-day Siberia or northern Scandinavia.
Through the use of contemporary methods for re-excavation and the extraction of mitochondrial DNA from bones, the research team was able to reconstruct the history of early settlements throughout northern Europe. Their multidisciplinary analysis has created a new chronology, challenging the popular belief that Homo sapiens arrived in Europe after the extinction of Neanderthals. Instead, it demonstrates that Homo sapiens coexisted with Neanderthals for millennia and intermittently occupied the Ranis site as early as 47,500 years ago.
This groundbreaking discovery sheds new light on our understanding of human migration and interaction during prehistoric times. It highlights the complex relationship between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals and provides valuable insights into the factors that contributed to the extinction of our ancient relatives. The research conducted at Ranis opens up exciting possibilities for further exploration and study of our shared human history.