Denisovans repeatedly inhabited Chinese cave over vast timespan
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Researchers in China discovered evidence that Denisovans, an extinct group of ancient humans, repeatedly lived in Bianfu Cave in Yunnan province between 190,000 and 70,000 years ago.
A team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Qinghai Institute of Plateau Research analysed human fossils, stone tools, and animal bones found in the cave, publishing their findings in two papers in the journal Nature. The team determined that Denisovans hunted and crafted tools adapted to the local environment.
The investigation uncovered seven fossilised human remains, including fragments of a skull and a forearm bone definitively identified as Denisovan through protein analysis. This site, following the Siberian Denisova Cave, now holds the largest collection of Denisovan remains. Genetic studies previously indicated Denisovan ancestry in people living today in Southeast Asia and Oceania, suggesting they migrated through this region of China.
Analysis of over 1,300 stone tools and bone implements revealed a pattern of consistent resource use and technology spanning the 190,000 to 70,000 year period. Animal bones found in the cave, primarily deer and cattle, showed signs of butchering and processing, indicating Denisovans consumed meat and utilized bone marrow. Pollen analysis suggests the area was a mixed forest and grassland environment supporting large herbivores during the time of habitation.
