Der Homo sapiens oder der moderne Mensch entwickelte sich vor etwa 200,000 Jahren in Ostafrika in der Nähe des heutigen Äthiopiens. Sie lebten lange Zeit in Afrika. Vor etwa 55,000 Jahren verbreiteten sie sich in verschiedene Teile der Welt, darunter auch nach Eurasien, und beherrschten im Laufe der Zeit die Welt.
The oldest evidence of human existence in Europa wurde in gefunden Bacho-Kiro-Höhle, Bulgarien. Die menschlichen Überreste an dieser Stelle wurden auf ein Alter von 47,000 Jahren datiert H. sapiens hatte vor 47,000 Jahren Osteuropa erreicht.
Eurasien war jedoch Land der Neandertaler (Homo neanderthalensis), an extinct species of ancient humans who lived in Europa and Asia between 400,000 years before present to about 40,000 years before present. They were good tool maker and hunter. H. sapiens did not evolve from neanderthals. Instead, both were close relatives. As shown in fossil records, neanderthals differed markedly from Homo sapiens anatomically in the skull, ear bones and pelvis. The former were shorter in height, had stockier bodies and had heavy brows and big noses. Therefore, based on significant differences in physical traits, neanderthals and homo sapiens are traditionally considered to be two distinct species. Nevertheless, H. Neanderthalensis und H. sapiens interbred outside Africa when the later met neanderthals in Eurasia after leaving Africa. The present human populations whose ancestors had lived outside Africa have about 2% neanderthal DNA in their genome. Neanderthal ancestry is found in modern African populations as well perhaps because of migration of Europäer into Africa over the past 20,000 years.
The co-existence of neanderthals and H. sapiens in the Europa has been debated. Some thought that the neanderthals disappeared from northwestern Europa before the arrival of H. sapiens. Based on the study of stone tools and fragments of skeletal remains at the site, it was not possible to determine whether specific excavated levels at archaeological sites are associated with Neanderthals or H. sapiens. After reaching Europa, tat H. sapiens zusammen mit (Neandertalern) leben, bevor die Neandertaler vom Aussterben bedroht waren?
Ein interessanter Fall ist die Lincombian-Ranisian-Jerzmanowician (LRJ) Steinwerkzeugindustrie an der archäologischen Stätte Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Deutschland. Es konnte nicht schlüssig nachgewiesen werden, ob diese Fundstelle mit Neandertalern oder H. sapiens in Zusammenhang steht.
In kürzlich veröffentlichten Studien extrahierten Forscher die alte DNA from the skeletal fragments from this site and upon mitochondrial DNA analysis and direct radiocarbon dating of the remains found that remains belonged to modern human population and were about 45,000 years old which makes it the earliest H. sapiens remains in Northern Europa.
The studies showed that Homo sapiens were present in central and northwestern Europa long before extinction of Neanderthals in southwestern Europa and indicated that both species coexisted in Europe during the transitional period for about 15,000 years. H. sapiens at LRJ were small pioneer groups who were connected to wider populations of H. sapiens in eastern and central Europe.It was also found that around 45,000-43,000 years ago, cold climate prevailed across the sites at Ilsenhöhle and had a cold steppe setting. Directly dated human bones at the site suggest that H. sapiens could use the site and operate thus showing ability to adapt to the prevailing severe cold conditions.
The studies are significant because it identifies an early spread of H. sapiens into cold steppes in northern Europa 45,000 years ago. The humans could adapt to the extreme cold conditions and operate as small mobile groups of pioneers.
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References:
- Mylopotamitaki, D., Weiss, M., Fewlass, H. et al. Der Homo sapiens erreichte vor 45,000 Jahren die höheren Breiten Europas. Natur 626, 341–346 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06923-7
- Pederzani, S., Britton, K., Trost, M. et al. Stabile Isotope zeigen, dass sich der Homo sapiens vor etwa 45,000 Jahren in der Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Deutschland, in kalten Steppen ausbreitete. Nat Ecol Evol(2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02318-z
- Smith, GM, Ruebens, K., Zavala, EI et al. Die Ökologie, Lebensweise und Ernährung des ca. 45,000 Jahre alten Homo sapiens in der Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Deutschland. Nat Ecol Evol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02303-6
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