In their quest to resolve a longstanding dispute, researchers inadvertently reshaped the chronology of ancient human history. The subject of contention revolved around an ancient culture known as the Lincombian-Ranisian-Jerzmanowician technocomplex, which scientists have shortened to LRJ due to its cumbersome name.
The LRJ culture is distinguished by the production of distinct blades and leaf points that exhibit a blend of Neanderthal and Homo sapien craftsmanship. The dispute revolves around the identity of the artisans behind these artifacts, with the potential to provide insights into the events approximately 45,000 years ago.
This period marked the enigmatic extinction of Neanderthals, our close human relatives, throughout Europe, while Homo sapiens flourished and prospered. “The usual wisdom was to consider that they were made most likely by late Neanderthals,” according to Jean-Jacques Hublin, a paleoanthropology professor at the College of France and co-author of the study.
Determined to conclusively resolve the dispute, Hublin and his team embarked on a mission that took them to Ilsenhöhle cave in Ranis, Germany. This cave is among the numerous locations in Northwestern Europe where LRJ artifacts have been uncovered. In addition to unraveling the initial mystery they were investigating, the researchers stumbled upon a wealth of unexpected discoveries.
Delving into ancient DNA: During the excavation of the cave, the researchers unearthed not only LRJ artifacts but also tiny bone fragments. The majority of these bones were too minuscule to be identified based solely on their appearance.
However, through the innovative application of zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry, known as ZooMS, the researchers successfully identified that out of approximately 2,000 bone fragments examined, 13 of them belonged to early humans.
The subsequent task involved identifying the specific ancient human species to which the bones belonged. Hublin explained that successfully determining this would likely lead them to the creators of the LRJ artifacts in the cave, thus resolving the mystery.
In pursuit of this goal, DNA was extracted from the bones, confirming that they belonged to Homo sapiens. This discovery provided compelling evidence that Homo sapiens were indeed responsible for crafting the LRJ artifacts. Hublin expressed triumphantly, “Voila!”
However, their work was far from complete. In addition to DNA analysis, the team employed radiocarbon dating to determine the age of the bones, leading to a surprising revelation.
Their findings indicated that Homo sapiens inhabited Ranis around 47,500 years ago, a significantly earlier timeline than previously assumed. This discovery challenged the existing belief among archaeologists that Homo sapiens only arrived in Western Europe approximately 42,000 years ago, a migration thought to have played a role in the extinction of Neanderthals.
The timeline of ancient human history continues to be extended as new evidence emerges. Hublin and his team’s recent findings are the latest in a series of studies contributing to this expanding body of research.
Contrary to previous beliefs, which suggested that Homo sapiens could only migrate into Europe during warmer periods due to their adaptation to the warm African climate of their origin, the specimens and artifacts discovered at Ranis indicate a different scenario. They propose that these individuals actually entered Europe directly through the cold Northwest, challenging the assumption that the region was warmer at the time.
Examination of animal teeth from the site indicated a climate 7 to 15 degrees Celsius colder than present conditions, resembling the cold environments of northern Scandinavia or parts of Siberia, as highlighted by Hublin.
Revising ancient history: These discoveries collectively depict a human prehistory that diverges significantly from our prior understanding. Nevertheless, there are unresolved inquiries that await clarification.
Their work, published in three papers in the respected journals Nature and Nature Ecology and Evolution, presents a contrasting narrative of the past. The research indicates the presence of small “pioneer” Homo sapiens groups coexisting with Neanderthals in Europe for thousands of years prior to the Neanderthals’ extinction.
The extent of interaction between these two groups during this period remains uncertain. “It’s not at all the picture we had years ago of this wave of Homo sapiens moving into Europe and replacing the Neanderthals,” said Hublin. “What we see now is that it was not a wave, it was several wavelets,”
Furthermore, the study implies that these early Homo sapien “pioneers” possessed a resilience and adaptability that have been underestimated.
Moreover, the examination of animal fossils uncovered at Ranis indicated the presence of cold-adapted mammals such as woolly mammoths, reindeer, and wolverines.
There are lingering uncertainties surrounding how Homo sapiens, who were accustomed to warmer climates, managed to endure such a drastic environmental shift. However, it is hypothesized that they may have crafted warm clothing using the furs of these animals, as suggested by Geoff Smith, a zooarchaeologist from the University of Kent and co-author of the study.
Although there are no intentions to conduct additional excavations at Ranis due to safety concerns leading to the closure of the cave, the researchers are committed to analyzing the specimens and artifacts from this recent excavation. Their aim is to delve further into the interactions between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals during this period.
“I think we have more to discover,” Hublin said. “What’s ahead of us is understanding what was going on among the late Neanderthals. To what extent have they been penetrated by these newcomers? What kind of interactions do they have with them? But I think it’s a great step to have resolved the LRJ story.”
