Early Humans Thrived in Extreme Cold: Evidence of Coexistence with Neanderthals in Europe
New evidence suggests that early humans not only survived but thrived in extreme cold conditions in northern Europe over 45,000 years ago. These modern humans coexisted with Neanderthals for several thousand years before the latter went extinct. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the resilience of early European settlers to harsh cold environments.
The average temperatures during that time would have been 7 to 15 degrees Celsius below modern-day temperatures, similar to the climates found in Siberia or northern Scandinavia today. This discovery sheds light on the adaptability of Homo sapiens and their ability to survive in challenging conditions.
According to an international team of archaeologists, these early humans lived in small groups and shared the landscape with large carnivores such as hyenas and cave bears. Sarah Pederzani from the University of La Laguna and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology describes the findings as fascinating and surprising, as it was previously believed that resilience to cold-climate conditions did not appear until several thousand years later.
The researchers re-excavated a cave site in Ranis, Germany, which was initially explored by archaeologists between 1932 and 1938. The site yielded long, leaf-shaped stone blades that were initially attributed to Neanderthals. However, the recent re-excavation between 2016 and 2022 revealed human fossils for the first time, suggesting that the artifacts were likely created by humans.
Dr. Geoff Smith, a zooarchaeologist from the University of Kent and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, expresses excitement about the identification of new Homo sapiens fossils from Ranis. These fossils represent the earliest evidence of our species north of the Alps and indicate that early humans were more adaptive than previously thought. The reconstructions of temperature at Ranis show average temperatures between 7 to 15 degrees below modern-day temperatures.
The discovery also challenges the prevailing belief that Neanderthals disappeared from northern Europe long before the arrival of modern humans. The researchers argue that this hypothesis can now be rejected. Furthermore, the findings align with existing genetic evidence that humans and Neanderthals lived side by side and occasionally interbred.
Jean-Jacques Hublin, emeritus director at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, highlights the significance of the study, stating that stone artifacts previously attributed to Neanderthals were actually part of the early Homo sapiens tool kit. This revelation fundamentally changes our understanding of this time period, as it suggests that Homo sapiens reached northwestern Europe long before Neanderthals disappeared in southwestern Europe.
The team also discovered over a thousand bone fragments belonging to animals that frequented the caves, including bears, hyenas, deer, and horses. Zooarchaeological analysis reveals that the Ranis cave was intermittently used by denning hyenas, hibernating cave bears, and small groups of humans. Although these humans only utilized the cave for short periods, they consumed meat from various animals, such as reindeer, woolly rhinoceros, and horses.
Overall, this groundbreaking research provides valuable insights into the adaptability and resilience of early humans in extreme cold climates. It challenges previous assumptions about their ability to survive and thrive in harsh environments and highlights the coexistence of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals in Europe. The discoveries at the Ranis cave shed new light on our understanding of human history and evolution.