Journal Article

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

Kozlikin, Maxim B, Jacobs, Zenobia, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences [Manchester] (SEES) ; University of Manchester [Manchester], Australian National University (ANU), Slon, Viviane, Department of Human Evolution [Leipzig] ; Max-Planck-Institut für evolutionäre Anthropologie = Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) ; Max-Planck-Gesellschaft-Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Buckley, Michael, Deviese, Thibaut, Viola, Bence, Meyer, Matthias, Douka, Katerina, Roberts, Richard G, Paeaebo, Svante, Comeskey, Daniel, Department of Evolutionary Genetics ; Max-Planck-Institut für evolutionäre Anthropologie = Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) ; Max-Planck-Gesellschaft-Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Griffith University [Brisbane], Shunkov, Michael V, Research School of Earth Sciences [ANU, Canberra] (RSES) ; ANU College of Science [Canberra] ; Australian National University (ANU)-Australian National University (ANU), Kinsley, Leslie, Kelso, Janet, Li, Bo, Ramsey, Christopher Bronk, University of

2019

Overview

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 Denisovans 1 , 2 , and high-coverage genomes from both Neanderthal and Denisovan fossils provide evidence for admixture between these two populations 3 . 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 Denisovan 4 —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. Bayesian modelling of chronometric, stratigraphic and genetic data from Denisova Cave provides a chronological framework for understanding Neanderthal and Denisovan presence at the site, as well as interactions between these groups.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group,CCSD,Nature Publishing Group UK
• Subject: 38/22 / 45 / 45/23 / 631/181/27 / 631/208/182 / 82/58 / 82/75 / Adaptation / Admixtures / Age / Animals / Archaeological dating / Archaeology / Artefacts / Base sequence / Bayes Theorem / Bayesian analysis / Bones / Carbon dating / Caves / Charcoal / Chronology / Collagen / Cultural factors / Deer / Deoxyribonucleic acid / DNA / DNA sequencing / DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics / Environmental Sciences / Femur - chemistry / Fossil hominids / Fossils / Genetic aspects / Genomes / Genomics / Geologic Sediments - chemistry / History, Ancient / Hominidae - genetics / Hominids / Homo neanderthalensis / Homo sapiens denisova / Human remains / Humanities and Social Sciences / Humans / Ice ages / Jewelry / Letter / Measuring instruments / Methods / Mitochondrial DNA / multidisciplinary / Natural history / Neanderthals / Neanderthals - genetics / Nucleotide sequence / Oxidation / Oxygen Isotopes / Paleolithic / Pleistocene / Radiocarbon dating / Radiometric Dating / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Siberia / Stratigraphy / Teeth / Time Factors / Tooth - chemistry / Upper Paleolithic period / Uranium