Co-Existence of Modern Humans and Neanderthals in France and Northern Spain

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Neanderthals Hunter Gatherers Human Ancestors

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According to a modeling examine, fashionable people could have co-existed with Neanderthals in France and northern Spain for between 1,400 and a couple of,900 years earlier than Neanderthals disappeared.

For between 1,400 and a couple of,900 years earlier than Neanderthals disappeared, fashionable people could have co-existed with Neanderthals in France and northern Spain. This is based on a brand new modeling examine that was revealed on October 13 in Scientific Reports. These findings enhance our understanding of the existence of the 2 species of people on this area.

Modern people (Homo Sapiens) and Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) could have co-existed in Europe for so long as 5,000 to six,000 years earlier than Neanderthals grew to become extinct, based on just lately uncovered fossil proof. However, there’s at the moment little proof for his or her co-existence at a regional degree. Moreover, it’s tough to determine when the 2 species first appeared and disappeared in these areas.

In the brand new examine, Igor Djakovic and colleagues analyzed a dataset of 56 Neanderthal and fashionable human artifacts (28 for every group) from seventeen archaeological websites throughout France and northern Spain, in addition to an extra ten Neanderthal specimens from the identical area. For higher accuracy, all samples had been radiocarbon-dated using robust modern techniques since 2000. 

The authors used Optimal Linear Estimation and Bayesian probability modeling to estimate the date ranges for these samples and the populations responsible, and infer the earliest and latest dates that these human groups might have been present at the sites. This modeling served to fill in missing portions of the archaeological record, which hamper date estimation.

Based on this modeling, the authors estimate that Neanderthal artifacts first appeared between 45,343 and 44,248 years ago, and disappeared between 39,894 and 39,798 years ago. The date of Neanderthal extinction, based on directly-dated Neanderthal remains, was between 40,870 and 40,457 years ago. Modern humans were estimated to first appear between 42,653 and 42,269 years ago. The authors conclude that this suggests the two species of humans co-existed in these regions for between 1,400 and 2,900 years. These results do not, however, indicate how or whether modern humans and Neanderthals interacted.

Reference: “Optimal linear estimation models predict 1400–2900 years of overlap between Homo sapiens and Neandertals prior to their disappearance from France and northern Spain” by Igor Djakovic, Alastair Key and Marie Soressi, 13 October 2022, Scientific Reports.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19162-z