Initial Upper Palaeolithic Homo sapiens from Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria

Jean-Jacques Hublin (), Nikolay Sirakov, Vera Aldeias, Shara Bailey, Edouard Bard, Vincent Delvigne, Elena Endarova, Yoann Fagault, Helen Fewlass, Mateja Hajdinjak, Bernd Kromer, Ivaylo Krumov, João Marreiros, Naomi L. Martisius, Lindsey Paskulin, Virginie Sinet-Mathiot, Matthias Meyer, Svante Pääbo, Vasil Popov, Zeljko Rezek, Svoboda Sirakova, Matthew M. Skinner, Geoff M. Smith, Rosen Spasov, Sahra Talamo, Thibaut Tuna, Lukas Wacker, Frido Welker, Arndt Wilcke, Nikolay Zahariev, Shannon P. McPherron and Tsenka Tsanova
Additional contact information
Jean-Jacques Hublin: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Nikolay Sirakov: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Vera Aldeias: Universidade do Algarve
Shara Bailey: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Edouard Bard: CEREGE, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Collège de France
Vincent Delvigne: Service de Préhistoire, University of Liège
Elena Endarova: National History Museum
Yoann Fagault: CEREGE, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Collège de France
Helen Fewlass: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Mateja Hajdinjak: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Bernd Kromer: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Ivaylo Krumov: History Museum
João Marreiros: Universidade do Algarve
Naomi L. Martisius: University of California, Davis
Lindsey Paskulin: University of Aberdeen
Virginie Sinet-Mathiot: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Matthias Meyer: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Svante Pääbo: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Vasil Popov: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Zeljko Rezek: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Svoboda Sirakova: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Matthew M. Skinner: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Geoff M. Smith: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Rosen Spasov: New Bulgarian University
Sahra Talamo: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Thibaut Tuna: CEREGE, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Collège de France
Lukas Wacker: ETH Zurich
Frido Welker: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Arndt Wilcke: Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology
Nikolay Zahariev: New Bulgarian University
Shannon P. McPherron: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Tsenka Tsanova: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

Nature, 2020, vol. 581, issue 7808, 299-302

Abstract: Abstract The Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Europe witnessed the replacement and partial absorption of local Neanderthal populations by Homo sapiens populations of African origin1. However, this process probably varied across regions and its details remain largely unknown. In particular, the duration of chronological overlap between the two groups is much debated, as are the implications of this overlap for the nature of the biological and cultural interactions between Neanderthals and H. sapiens. Here we report the discovery and direct dating of human remains found in association with Initial Upper Palaeolithic artefacts2, from excavations at Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria). Morphological analysis of a tooth and mitochondrial DNA from several hominin bone fragments, identified through proteomic screening, assign these finds to H. sapiens and link the expansion of Initial Upper Palaeolithic technologies with the spread of H. sapiens into the mid-latitudes of Eurasia before 45 thousand years ago3. The excavations yielded a wealth of bone artefacts, including pendants manufactured from cave bear teeth that are reminiscent of those later produced by the last Neanderthals of western Europe4–6. These finds are consistent with models based on the arrival of multiple waves of H. sapiens into Europe coming into contact with declining Neanderthal populations7,8.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2259-z

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