Homo sapiens or Denisovans? Who made stunning cave jewellery and artefacts up to 48,000 years ago?
Homo sapiens or Denisovans? Who made stunning cave jewellery and artefacts up to 48,000 years ago?
By The Siberian Times reporter04 February 2019
Eminent Siberian archeologist Professor Mikhail Shunkov challenges Western claims casting doubt on this being the work of ancient Denisovans.
At issue is who made items such as a stunning bracelet of green-hued chlorite, bead jewellery comprising ostrich eggs, and a needle - still useable today - pictured here. Picture: IAET SB RAS
Two new scientific studies have led to a questioning of the theory espoused in recent years by Russian and foreign experts familiar with Denisova cave in the Altai Mountains that a remarkable collection of jewellery and artefacts unearthed here were the creations of neither Homo sapiens nor Neanderthals.
There is no dispute as to the existence of a distinct but long extinct early human species known as the Denisovans.
The two new studies in Nature accept that this grouping occupied the limestone cave from around 287,000 to 55,000 years ago, sharing it for some of this period with Neanderthals (193,000 to 97,000 years ago, so predating the time when these exciting artefacts were made).
Yet a new timeline for the early human occupation of the cave, and of the age of the remarkable ancient items found here, has raised scientific questions which were aired recently in publications around the world.
More:
https://siberiantimes.com/science/casestudy/news/homo-sapiens-or-denisovans-who-made-stunning-cave-jewellery-and-artefacts-up-to-48000-years-ago/
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