The earliest evidence for anatomically modern humans in northwestern Europe

Tom Higham (), Tim Compton, Chris Stringer (), Roger Jacobi, Beth Shapiro, Erik Trinkaus, Barry Chandler, Flora Gröning, Chris Collins, Simon Hillson, Paul O’Higgins, Charles FitzGerald and Michael Fagan
Additional contact information
Tom Higham: Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
Tim Compton: The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
Chris Stringer: The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
Roger Jacobi: The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
Beth Shapiro: The Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Laboratory, University Park
Erik Trinkaus: Campus Box 1114, Washington University
Barry Chandler: Torquay Museum, 529 Babbacombe Road, Torquay TQ1 1HG, UK
Flora Gröning: University of Hull, Kingston upon Hull HU6 7RX, UK
Chris Collins: The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
Simon Hillson: Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, UK
Paul O’Higgins: Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School, The University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
Charles FitzGerald: McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L9, Canada
Michael Fagan: University of Hull, Kingston upon Hull HU6 7RX, UK

Nature, 2011, vol. 479, issue 7374, 521-524

Abstract: Early arrivals in Europe Anatomically modern humans are thought to have arrived in Europe 44,000–42,000 years ago. Physical evidence for early humans is scarce, and these dates are based largely on studies of stone tool assemblages. Two papers published this week use the latest radiocarbon dating and morphological analysis techniques to reassess museum hominid samples. Higham et al. examine a human maxilla from the Aurignacian site at Kent's Cavern in the United Kingdom, discovered in 1927 and previously dated at around 35,000 years old, and arrive at an age of 44,200–41,500 years. The dental morphology of the jawbone indicates that its attribution as early human, rather than Neanderthal, is reliable. Benazzi et al. reanalyse two teeth from the Uluzzian site Grotta del Cavallo in southern Italy and conclude that they are definitively modern, not Neanderthal, and date to 45,000–43,000 years old. A further conclusion from this work is that the Uluzzian culture of southern Europe — always found stratigraphically below the Aurignacian signature culture of the modern humans — may represent the earliest modern humans in Europe rather than the last Neanderthals.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/nature10484

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