Paleolithic inhabitants of Denisova Cave-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Paleolithic inhabitants of Denisova Cave

Published:2024-09-15 Issue:3(66) Volume: Page:116-126
ISSN:2071-0437
Container-title:VESTNIK ARHEOLOGII, ANTROPOLOGII I ETNOGRAFII
language:
Short-container-title:VAAE

Author:

Shunkov M.V.¹^ORCID,Kozlikin M.B.¹^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS

Abstract

Based on paleogenetic analysis of anthropological remains from Denisova Cave in Altai Mountains, a previ-ously unknown population of fossil people, the Denisovans, was discovered, and a complex picture of their inter-action with Neanderthals was established. Currently, 17 skeletal remains of Paleolithic hominins discovered in the cave have been identified, and fragments of ancient human DNA have been isolated from its Pleistocene depo-sits. This work is devoted to the characteristics of the Denisova Cave inhabitants based on a comprehensive analysis of currently known paleoanthropological and paleogenetic data. We show that the oldest human remains in Altai were found in the basal deposits of the Denisova Cave. They belong to the Denisovans, hominins that share a common ancestor with Neanderthals but a different population history. The lower culture-bearing layers with finds from the initial stage of the Middle Paleolithic contain fragments of genomes that differ from the Denisovan genomes from the overlying sediments, indicating the existence of two different populations of Denisovans. The earliest evidence of the appearance of Neanderthals in Altai was also found in Denisova Cave. A complete genome sequence was isolated from the phalanx of the foot, which received the conditional name Altai Neanderthal. Between the populations of Neanderthals and Denisovans in Altai, there was a regular ex-change of genetic material.

Publisher

Tyumen Scientific Center of the SB RAS

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