Denisovans hunted ice age mammals in southern China

Archaeologists in Yunnan province, China, uncovered evidence that Denisovans, an extinct group of hominins, lived and hunted in the Bianfu cave from 167,000 to 134,000 years ago.

Researchers led by Qiaomei Fu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences examined over 64,000 animal bones and 1,400 stone tools found in the abandoned quarry. They identified Denisovan remains through biomolecular analysis of bone fragments and teeth, confirming the presence of males based on a protein found in tooth enamel.

The team determined the Denisovans primarily hunted large mammals like sika deer, elks, and water buffalo in the forested or steppe-forest environment. Evidence on the bones, recent fractures, percussion marks, and cut marks, shows they processed and consumed the animals at the cave site. The researchers also found the radius bone of a Denisovan, the only one discovered so far, which offers insights into their arm and muscle mechanics. Analysis of the stone tools revealed a practical approach to toolmaking.

The Denisovans used readily available materials and created simple tools like scrapers and hand axes. This opportunistic strategy, along with their tool-making capabilities, resembles those of Neanderthals, suggesting shared cognitive and cultural traits between the two hominin groups. The Bianfu cave now holds the longest archaeological record of Denisovans in eastern Asia.