- Excavations at Tinshemet Cave in Israel provide more evidence that early modern humans and Neanderthals co-existed and interacted.
- Stone tools, animal bones and ochre found at Tinshemet Cave and other archaeological sites in the Levant indicate that the two human species were sharing cultural and technological practices.
- Formal burial customs were another shared practice. Remains of five ancient humans were found at Tinshemet Cave with animal bones and ochre.
More evidence that modern humans and Neanderthals co-existed
Scientists are excavating a site in central Israel called Tinshemet Cave, once occupied by humans during the mid-Middle Paleolithic (130,000 to 80,000 years ago). On March 11, 2025, the researchers said their discoveries, when considered with wider regional archaeological findings, indicate that early modern humans and Neanderthals interacted with each other. As a result, these two human species developed common technological and cultural practices. Furthermore, scientists found five intentional human burials that dated to about 100,000 years ago.
The researchers published their first findings on this archaeological site in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Human Behavior on March 11, 2025.
The Levant, where two human species once met
Scientists have known that early modern humans (Homo sapiens) and Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) once co-existed in the south Levant during the mid-Middle Paleolithic. That’s an area along the eastern Mediterranean that includes modern-day Israel, Jordan and Lebanon.
Modern humans first migrated out of Africa about 300,000 years ago. Around the same time, Neanderthals emerged from Europe. Their migratory paths crossed for the first time in the Levant during the Middle Paleolithic (300,000 to 50,000 years ago). And these two human species left behind archaeological traces of their presence in the region.
For decades, researchers have been studying what these ancient humans left behind. They had questions: What was the relationship between these two human species? Were they competitors for resources or did they cooperate? Was there conflict between them?
What scientists found at Tinshemet Cave
Excavations at Tinshemet Cave, which started in 2017, have yielded a trove of artifacts and several intentional human burials.
Scientists found animal bones of large ungulates (hoofed mammals) that had been hunted for food. And they saw cuts and scrapes on some bones. Also, researchers have found bones from the same animal species in other archaeological sites of the same timeframe. Furthermore, they’ve found animal bones in human burial sites, perhaps as part of a ritual internment.
Researchers also recovered stone tools bearing similar features to those found in other nearby archeological sites. This indicated that modern humans and Neanderthals used the same techniques to create those stone tools. In addition, the scientists discovered evidence of fire use at the cave, such as wood ash.
Furthermore, the researchers found ochre at the cave. Ochre is a yellow to orange-colored clay pigment widely used for cultural purposes, including burial practices, during the mid-Middle Paleolithic. Scientists think that its cultural use indicated the rise of symbolic thought in humans. The Tinshemet Cave inhabitants must have placed great value in it because ochre is not locally available, and they had to travel great distances to obtain it.
Evidence of cultural exchange between modern humans and Neanderthals
In their study, the researchers compared what they found at Tinshemet Cave with findings from other Levant archeaological sites of the same timeframe. They studied how early people created stone tools, the kinds of animals they hunted, as well as artifacts that revealed the symbolic behavior and social complexities of these early humans.
Lead author Yossi Zaidner of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said:
Our data show that human connections and population interactions have been fundamental in driving cultural and technological innovations throughout history.
And the scientists wrote in their paper:
Viewed from the perspective of other key regional sites of this period, our findings indicate consolidation of a uniform behavioral set in the Levantine mid-MP [mid-Middle Paleolithic], consisting of similar lithic technology [stone tools], an increased reliance on large-game hunting and a range of socially elaborated behaviors, comprising intentional human burial and the use of ochre in burial contexts. We suggest that the development of this behavioral uniformity is due to intensified inter-population interactions and admixture between Homo groups ~130–80 ka [thousand years ago].
Human burials at Tinshemet Cave
What scientists describe as “formal burial customs” first appeared about 110,000 years ago in Israel. They think it’s a practice that caught on due to increased social interactions among early modern humans and Neanderthals.
At Tinshemet Cave, they discovered the remains of five humans that were interred about 100,000 years ago. Two of the individuals they recovered were full skeletons, an adult and child, while others were partial skeletons. The bodies had been placed in a sleeping or fetal position, lying on the side with legs bent, arms toward the face and chest, and head bent down.
The scientists also found stone tools, animal bones and pieces of ochre in the burial pits. This suggested a ritual practice and perhaps even a belief system (such as belief in the afterlife). Was Tinshemet Cave a burial ground? It’s too early to know for sure, and excavations are continuing at the site.
Bottom line: A new study of artifacts and human remains from Tinshemet Cave in central Israel provides more evidence that modern humans and Neanderthals in the Levant interacted with each other.
Via American Friends of the Hebrew University
Read more: Did social isolation drive Neanderthals to extinction?
The post New evidence: humans and Neanderthals interacted in Israel first appeared on EarthSky.
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/QTprXtL
- Excavations at Tinshemet Cave in Israel provide more evidence that early modern humans and Neanderthals co-existed and interacted.
- Stone tools, animal bones and ochre found at Tinshemet Cave and other archaeological sites in the Levant indicate that the two human species were sharing cultural and technological practices.
- Formal burial customs were another shared practice. Remains of five ancient humans were found at Tinshemet Cave with animal bones and ochre.
More evidence that modern humans and Neanderthals co-existed
Scientists are excavating a site in central Israel called Tinshemet Cave, once occupied by humans during the mid-Middle Paleolithic (130,000 to 80,000 years ago). On March 11, 2025, the researchers said their discoveries, when considered with wider regional archaeological findings, indicate that early modern humans and Neanderthals interacted with each other. As a result, these two human species developed common technological and cultural practices. Furthermore, scientists found five intentional human burials that dated to about 100,000 years ago.
The researchers published their first findings on this archaeological site in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Human Behavior on March 11, 2025.
The Levant, where two human species once met
Scientists have known that early modern humans (Homo sapiens) and Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) once co-existed in the south Levant during the mid-Middle Paleolithic. That’s an area along the eastern Mediterranean that includes modern-day Israel, Jordan and Lebanon.
Modern humans first migrated out of Africa about 300,000 years ago. Around the same time, Neanderthals emerged from Europe. Their migratory paths crossed for the first time in the Levant during the Middle Paleolithic (300,000 to 50,000 years ago). And these two human species left behind archaeological traces of their presence in the region.
For decades, researchers have been studying what these ancient humans left behind. They had questions: What was the relationship between these two human species? Were they competitors for resources or did they cooperate? Was there conflict between them?
What scientists found at Tinshemet Cave
Excavations at Tinshemet Cave, which started in 2017, have yielded a trove of artifacts and several intentional human burials.
Scientists found animal bones of large ungulates (hoofed mammals) that had been hunted for food. And they saw cuts and scrapes on some bones. Also, researchers have found bones from the same animal species in other archaeological sites of the same timeframe. Furthermore, they’ve found animal bones in human burial sites, perhaps as part of a ritual internment.
Researchers also recovered stone tools bearing similar features to those found in other nearby archeological sites. This indicated that modern humans and Neanderthals used the same techniques to create those stone tools. In addition, the scientists discovered evidence of fire use at the cave, such as wood ash.
Furthermore, the researchers found ochre at the cave. Ochre is a yellow to orange-colored clay pigment widely used for cultural purposes, including burial practices, during the mid-Middle Paleolithic. Scientists think that its cultural use indicated the rise of symbolic thought in humans. The Tinshemet Cave inhabitants must have placed great value in it because ochre is not locally available, and they had to travel great distances to obtain it.
Evidence of cultural exchange between modern humans and Neanderthals
In their study, the researchers compared what they found at Tinshemet Cave with findings from other Levant archeaological sites of the same timeframe. They studied how early people created stone tools, the kinds of animals they hunted, as well as artifacts that revealed the symbolic behavior and social complexities of these early humans.
Lead author Yossi Zaidner of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said:
Our data show that human connections and population interactions have been fundamental in driving cultural and technological innovations throughout history.
And the scientists wrote in their paper:
Viewed from the perspective of other key regional sites of this period, our findings indicate consolidation of a uniform behavioral set in the Levantine mid-MP [mid-Middle Paleolithic], consisting of similar lithic technology [stone tools], an increased reliance on large-game hunting and a range of socially elaborated behaviors, comprising intentional human burial and the use of ochre in burial contexts. We suggest that the development of this behavioral uniformity is due to intensified inter-population interactions and admixture between Homo groups ~130–80 ka [thousand years ago].
Human burials at Tinshemet Cave
What scientists describe as “formal burial customs” first appeared about 110,000 years ago in Israel. They think it’s a practice that caught on due to increased social interactions among early modern humans and Neanderthals.
At Tinshemet Cave, they discovered the remains of five humans that were interred about 100,000 years ago. Two of the individuals they recovered were full skeletons, an adult and child, while others were partial skeletons. The bodies had been placed in a sleeping or fetal position, lying on the side with legs bent, arms toward the face and chest, and head bent down.
The scientists also found stone tools, animal bones and pieces of ochre in the burial pits. This suggested a ritual practice and perhaps even a belief system (such as belief in the afterlife). Was Tinshemet Cave a burial ground? It’s too early to know for sure, and excavations are continuing at the site.
Bottom line: A new study of artifacts and human remains from Tinshemet Cave in central Israel provides more evidence that modern humans and Neanderthals in the Levant interacted with each other.
Via American Friends of the Hebrew University
Read more: Did social isolation drive Neanderthals to extinction?
The post New evidence: humans and Neanderthals interacted in Israel first appeared on EarthSky.
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/QTprXtL
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