Homo sapiens sau omul modern a evoluat cu aproximativ 200,000 de ani în urmă în Africa de Est, lângă Etiopia modernă. Ei au trăit în Africa multă vreme. Cu aproximativ 55,000 de ani în urmă, ei s-au dispersat în diferite părți ale lumii, inclusiv în Eurasia, și au continuat să domine lumea la timp.
The oldest evidence of human existence in Europa a fost găsit în Peștera Bacho Kiro, Bulgaria. Rămășitul uman de pe acest sit a fost datat la 47,000 de ani, ceea ce înseamnă că H. sapiens ajunsese în Europa de Est cu 47,000 de ani înainte de prezent.
Eurasia fusese totuși țara oamenilor de Neanderthal (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 și 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 europenii 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, făcut H. sapiens trăiesc alături de (neanderthalieni) înainte ca neanderthalienii să se confrunte cu dispariția?
Industria uneltelor din piatră Lincombian–Ranisian–Jerzmanowician (LRJ) la situl arheologic de la Ilsenhöhle din Ranis, Germania este un caz interesant. Nu s-a putut dovedi în mod concludent dacă acest site este asociat cu neanderthalienii sau cu H. sapiens.
In studies published recently, researchers extracted the ADN antic 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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Referinte:
- Mylopotamitaki, D., Weiss, M., Fewlass, H. et al. Homo sapiens a ajuns la latitudinile superioare ale Europei cu 45,000 de ani în urmă. Nature 626, 341–346 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06923-7
- Pederzani, S., Britton, K., Trost, M. et al. Izotopii stabili arată că Homo sapiens s-a dispersat în stepele reci cu aproximativ 45,000 de ani în urmă la Ilsenhöhle din Ranis, Germania. Nat Ecol Evol(2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02318-z
- Smith, GM, Ruebens, K., Zavala, EI et al. Ecologia, subzistența și dieta lui Homo sapiens de ~45,000 de ani la Ilsenhöhle din Ranis, Germania. Nat Ecol Evol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02303-6
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