Cave Ilsenhole It has been an important place in terms of paleontology and archeology for over a century, where the remains of extinct creatures and stone artifacts have been found. Despite previous excavations, questions remained about the artifacts’ connection to modern humans or Neanderthals.

A new discovery

A recent re-excavation by a team from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the Thuringian Land Foundation and the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg uncovered bone fragments at an unprecedented depth, leading to new conclusions.

Bone fragment discovered by researchers / Photo: Tim Schüler TLDA

Stone tools found at the excavation site / Photo: Josephine Schubert, Burg Ranis Museum

Genetic analysis carried out by scientists from the University of California at Berkeley clarified the issue. Mitochondrial DNA and protein analysis obtained from the bones determined that the remains belonged to a 45,000-year-old modern human.

Why is this important?

The discovery expands the temporal and geographical boundaries of the existence of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, shedding light on their interactions. The two human species coexisted through trade, hybridization, and parallel technological development.

Up to 2% of the DNA of modern Europeans and Asians is inherited from Neanderthals, demonstrating the depth of this historical interaction.

• The study also highlights the challenges faced by both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals in harsh environmental conditions. The climate, similar to the modern northern regions of Scandinavia or Siberia 40-45 thousand years ago, created difficult conditions for survival.
• The diet focused on big-field play, potentially leading to competition. Factors such as harsh climate, small population size, and declining animal populations may have contributed to the problems faced by late Neanderthals.

While the study provides insight into the long-standing overlap and coexistence of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, questions remain about the specific factors that led to the eventual extinction of Neanderthals in Europe. Scientists agree that more data is needed to understand the complex interplay between climate, population dynamics and the emergence of new Homo sapiens groups that shaped the fate of Neanderthals.

The study confirms an evolutionary split between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals that can be traced back to a common ancestor more than 600,000 years ago, possibly Homo heidelbergensis, Homo antecessor or another ancestral species.