Author:
Blinkhorn James,Zanolli Clément,Compton Tim,Groucutt Huw S.,Scerri Eleanor M. L.,Crété Lucile,Stringer Chris,Petraglia Michael D.,Blockley Simon
Abstract
AbstractNeanderthals occurred widely across north Eurasian landscapes, but between ~ 70 and 50 thousand years ago (ka) they expanded southwards into the Levant, which had previously been inhabited by Homo sapiens. Palaeoanthropological research in the first half of the twentieth century demonstrated alternate occupations of the Levant by Neanderthal and Homo sapiens populations, yet key early findings have largely been overlooked in later studies. Here, we present the results of new examinations of both the fossil and archaeological collections from Shukbah Cave, located in the Palestinian West Bank, presenting new quantitative analyses of a hominin lower first molar and associated stone tool assemblage. The hominin tooth shows clear Neanderthal affinities, making it the southernmost known fossil specimen of this population/species. The associated Middle Palaeolithic stone tool assemblage is dominated by Levallois reduction methods, including the presence of Nubian Levallois points and cores. This is the first direct association between Neanderthals and Nubian Levallois technology, demonstrating that this stone tool technology should not be considered an exclusive marker of Homo sapiens.
Funder
Leverhulme Trust
Centre national de la recherche scientifique
Calleva Foundation
Human Origins Research Fund
Projekt DEAL
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Cited by
20 articles.
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