Stable isotopes show Homo sapiens dispersed into cold steppes ~45,000 years ago at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany

Abstract

The spread of Homo sapiens into new habitats across Eurasia ~45,000 years ago and the concurrent disappearance of Neanderthals represents a critical evolutionary turnover in our species’ history. ‘Transitional’ technocomplexes, such as the Lincombian–Ranisian–Jerzmanowician (LRJ), characterize the European record during this period but their makers and evolutionary significance have long remained unclear. New evidence from Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany, now provides a secure connection of the LRJ to H. sapiens remains dated to ~45,000 years ago, making it one of the earliest forays of our species to central Europe. Using many stable isotope records of climate produced from 16 serially sampled equid teeth spanning ~12,500 years of LRJ and Upper Palaeolithic human occupation at Ranis, we review the ability of early humans to adapt to different climate and habitat conditions. Results show that cold climates prevailed across LRJ occupations, with a temperature decrease culminating in a pronounced cold excursion at ~45,000–43,000 cal bp. Directly dated H. sapiens remains confirm that humans used the site even during this very cold phase. Together with recent evidence from the Initial Upper Palaeolithic, this demonstrates that humans operated in severe cold conditions during many distinct early dispersals into Europe and suggests pronounced adaptability.

The ecology, subsistence and diet of ~45,000-year-old Homo sapiens at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany

“…2 and 3 ). Combined with prevalent lichen consumption by cervids, this is consistent with other stable isotope data from the site, showing that the LRJ occupation of Ranis took place in a cold steppe or tundra setting 13 .

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“…6 and Extended Data Table 5 ). Comparatively high δ 13 C values are consistent with lichen consumption in cervid species 33 , 34 , especially reindeer ( R. tarandus ), and (isotopic) niche separation from equids is clear during the colder phase between ~45 and 43 ka cal BP 13 (Fig. 6 ).…”

“…(Supplementary Table 7 in Mylopotamitaki et al 7 ). Overall, the identified fauna is representative of a marine isotope stage 3 cold-stage climate with a largely open tundra-like landscape 7 , 13 .…”

“…The expansion of H. sapiens into Europe has been linked to favourable climatic conditions during warm phases 10 , 11 , but recent stable isotope analyses indicate their presence during extreme cold climates 12 , 13 . This raises questions about the behavioural adaptations and survival strategies of these early H. sapiens populations.…”

“…For further contextualization, we conducted detailed analyses of the overlying layer 7 and underlying layers 12–10. To enlarge the faunal reference baseline for the isotopic analysis, we also include stable isotope data from faunal remains from the 1932–1938 excavations, including directly radiocarbon dated equid remains that are equivalent in age with layer 7 (2016–2022 excavations) or older 13 and faunal material recovered from layer IX 21 . We applied a multidisciplinary approach, integrating methods from zooarchaeology, palaeoproteomics, sediment DNA and bulk stable isotopes (Supplementary Table 1 ).…”