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Apidima Cave fossils provide earliest evidence of Homo sapiens in Eurasia

Author

Listed:
  • Katerina Harvati

    (Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
    Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
    National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Carolin Röding

    (Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen)

  • Abel M. Bosman

    (Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
    Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen)

  • Fotios A. Karakostis

    (Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen)

  • Rainer Grün

    (Griffith University)

  • Chris Stringer

    (The Natural History Museum)

  • Panagiotis Karkanas

    (American School of Classical Studies at Athens)

  • Nicholas C. Thompson

    (Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
    National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Vassilis Koutoulidis

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Lia A. Moulopoulos

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Vassilis G. Gorgoulis

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
    Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens
    University of Manchester)

  • Mirsini Kouloukoussa

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
    National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

Abstract

Two fossilized human crania (Apidima 1 and Apidima 2) from Apidima Cave, southern Greece, were discovered in the late 1970s but have remained enigmatic owing to their incomplete nature, taphonomic distortion and lack of archaeological context and chronology. Here we virtually reconstruct both crania, provide detailed comparative descriptions and analyses, and date them using U-series radiometric methods. Apidima 2 dates to more than 170 thousand years ago and has a Neanderthal-like morphological pattern. By contrast, Apidima 1 dates to more than 210 thousand years ago and presents a mixture of modern human and primitive features. These results suggest that two late Middle Pleistocene human groups were present at this site—an early Homo sapiens population, followed by a Neanderthal population. Our findings support multiple dispersals of early modern humans out of Africa, and highlight the complex demographic processes that characterized Pleistocene human evolution and modern human presence in southeast Europe.

Suggested Citation

  • Katerina Harvati & Carolin Röding & Abel M. Bosman & Fotios A. Karakostis & Rainer Grün & Chris Stringer & Panagiotis Karkanas & Nicholas C. Thompson & Vassilis Koutoulidis & Lia A. Moulopoulos & Vass, 2019. "Apidima Cave fossils provide earliest evidence of Homo sapiens in Eurasia," Nature, Nature, vol. 571(7766), pages 500-504, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:571:y:2019:i:7766:d:10.1038_s41586-019-1376-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1376-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Sarah E. Freidline & Kira E. Westaway & Renaud Joannes-Boyau & Philippe Duringer & Jean-Luc Ponche & Mike W. Morley & Vito C. Hernandez & Meghan S. McAllister-Hayward & Hugh McColl & Clément Zanolli &, 2023. "Early presence of Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia by 86–68 kyr at Tam Pà Ling, Northern Laos," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-21, December.
    2. Junyi Ge & Song Xing & Rainer Grün & Chenglong Deng & Yuanjin Jiang & Tingyun Jiang & Shixia Yang & Keliang Zhao & Xing Gao & Huili Yang & Zhengtang Guo & Michael D. Petraglia & Qingfeng Shao, 2024. "New Late Pleistocene age for the Homo sapiens skeleton from Liujiang southern China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Ceri Shipton & Mike W. Morley & Shimona Kealy & Kasih Norman & Clara Boulanger & Stuart Hawkins & Mirani Litster & Caitlin Withnell & Sue O’Connor, 2024. "Abrupt onset of intensive human occupation 44,000 years ago on the threshold of Sahul," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Leonardo Vallini & Carlo Zampieri & Mohamed Javad Shoaee & Eugenio Bortolini & Giulia Marciani & Serena Aneli & Telmo Pievani & Stefano Benazzi & Alberto Barausse & Massimo Mezzavilla & Michael D. Pet, 2024. "The Persian plateau served as hub for Homo sapiens after the main out of Africa dispersal," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Frédérik Saltré & Joël Chadœuf & Thomas Higham & Monty Ochocki & Sebastián Block & Ellyse Bunney & Bastien Llamas & Corey J. A. Bradshaw, 2024. "Environmental conditions associated with initial northern expansion of anatomically modern humans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Nikos Georgiou & Xenophon Dimas & George Papatheodorou, 2021. "Integrated Methodological Approach for the Documentation of Marine Priority Habitats and Submerged Antiquities: Examples from the Saronic Gulf, Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-25, November.

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