Age estimates for hominin fossils and the onset of the Upper Palaeolithic at Denisova Cave

Abstract

Denisova Cave in the Siberian Altai (Russia) is a key site for understanding the complex relationships between hominin groups that inhabited Eurasia in the Middle and Late Pleistocene epoch. DNA sequenced from human remains found at this site has revealed the presence of a hitherto unknown hominin group, the Denisovans1,2, and high-coverage genomes from both Neanderthal and Denisovan fossils provide evidence for admixture between these two populations3. Determining the age of these fossils is important if we are to understand the nature of hominin interaction, and aspects of their cultural and subsistence adaptations. Here we present 50 radiocarbon determinations from the late Middle and Upper Palaeolithic layers of the site. We also report three direct dates for hominin fragments and obtain a mitochondrial DNA sequence for one of them. We apply a Bayesian age modelling approach that combines chronometric (radiocarbon, uranium series and optical ages), stratigraphic and genetic data to calculate probabilistically the age of the human fossils at the site. Our modelled estimate for the age of the oldest Denisovan fossil suggests that this group was present at the site as early as 195,000 years ago (at 95.4% probability). All Neanderthal fossils-as well as Denisova 11, the daughter of a Neanderthal and a Denisovan4-date to between 80,000 and 140,000 years ago. The youngest Denisovan dates to 52,000-76,000 years ago. Direct radiocarbon dating of Upper Palaeolithic tooth pendants and bone points yielded the earliest evidence for the production of these artefacts in northern Eurasia, between 43,000 and 49,000 calibrated years before present (taken as ad 1950). On the basis of current archaeological evidence, it may be assumed that these artefacts are associated with the Denisovan population. It is not currently possible to determine whether anatomically modern humans were involved in their production, as modern-human fossil and genetic evidence of such antiquity has not yet been identified in the Altai region.

Aspects of human physical and behavioural evolution during the last 1 million years

“…They could feasibly be made by late Neanderthals or H. sapiens (Flas, 2011;Villa and Roebroeks, 2014;Hublin, 2015). In addition, the appearance in Siberia of early burincore and laminar reductions (typically seen as part of the H. sapiens toolkit) at~43 ka from sites such as Kara-Bom and Denisova Cave further confuses the record of hominin presence as the makers are again unknown, but could conceivably be H. sapiens, Neanderthal or Denisovan (Zwyns et al, 2012;Douka et al, 2019;Jacobs et al, 2019b).…”

Biology and Philosophy V. Intermission. Goethe as an Appetizer

“…The ancestors of Neanderthals and Denisovans left Africa circa 650 kybp and by 450 kybp they had separated into these two lineages. The recent discovery that both groups overlapped for approximately 96,000 years in the Denisova Cave, suggests the possibility that they could intercommunicate vocally 5,6 . Also, it is almost clear that Neanderthals produced what can be called "cognitive artifacts and products" (cave paintings, eagle talons from the site of Krapina, etc.)…”

New portraits of the Denisovans

“…Two papers published in the January issue of Nature by Jacobs et al [6] and Douka et al [8] both aim to establish a reliable chronology for human occupation in Denisova Cave. Based on stratigraphic and site formation analysis and using optical dating of 103 cave sediment samples, Jacobs et al [6] established a long chronology for the Pleistocene sedimentary sequence and archaeological remains in Denisova Cave, and they also reconstructed the paleoenvironment in the vicinity of the site, since 350 ka (thousand years ago).…”

“…Combining this chronology with human fossils, archaeological and sedimentary DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) evidence, they also estimated the timing of the occupation of Denisova Cave by Denisovans and Neanderthals. In addition, Douka et al [8] built Bayesian models, based on diverse available information including cave sediment stratigraphy, the relative genetic dates of human remains, radiocarbon dates on charcoal, human fossils and animal bone artifacts, and one uranium-series date on human fossils, to estimate the ages of human fossils and the onset of the Upper Paleolithic at Denisova Cave. These two studies together provide reliable age controls for various human activities in Denisova Cave and have laid the foundation for further interpreting the relationships between Denisovans and Neanderthals, or even modern humans, at the site.…”

“…These two studies together provide reliable age controls for various human activities in Denisova Cave and have laid the foundation for further interpreting the relationships between Denisovans and Neanderthals, or even modern humans, at the site. According to these two stud-ies, the oldest Denisovan fossils may have been as early as 195 ka (Denisova 2) [8], while archaeological remains and sedimentary DNA extracts indicate that the cave may have been occupied by Denisovans since around 300 ka (or, conservatively, around 200 ka) until 50 ka [6], overlapping with occupations of Neanderthals from 193 to 97 ka [8]. Therefore, Denisovans, as well as Neanderthals, in Denisova Cave, were coexisting with various other neighboring unknown species of middle Pleistocene archaic Homo sapiens (around 300-100 ka) [9] in East Asia.…”