Archaeological evidence for two culture diverse Neanderthal populations in the North Caucasus and contacts between them.

ABSTRACT: Neanderthals were widespread during the Middle Palaeolithic (MP) across Europe and Asia, including the Caucasus Mountains. Occupying the border between eastern Europe and West Asia, the Caucasus is important region regarding the Neanderthal occupation of Eurasia. On current radiometric estimates, the MP is represented in the Caucasus between about 260-210 ka and about 40 ka. Archaeological record indicates that several culture diverse MP hominin populations inhabited the Caucasus, but the region complex population history during this period remains poorly understood. In this paper, we identify for the first time the archaeological evidence indicating contacts between two culture diverse MP Neanderthal populations in the North Caucasus and discuss the nature of these contacts. Basing on the

SUBMITTER: Doronicheva EV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10101426 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature