The oldest Neanderthal DNA of Central-Eastern Europe
An 80,000-year-old Neanderthal reveals cultural and genetic affinities
between Poland and the Northern Caucasus

Date:
September 8, 2020
Source:
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Summary:
A new study reports the oldest mitochondrial genome of a Neanderthal
from Central-Eastern Europe. The mitochondrial genome of the tooth,
discovered at the site of Stajnia Cave in Poland, is closer to a
Neanderthal specimen from the Caucasus than to the contemporaneous
Neanderthals of Western Europe. Stone tools found at the site are
also analogous to the southern regions suggesting that Neanderthals
living in the steppe/taiga environment had a broader foraging
radius than previously envisaged.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Around 100,000 years ago, the climate worsened abruptly and the
environment of Central-Eastern Europe shifted from forested to open steppe/taiga habitat, promoting the dispersal of wooly mammoth, wooly
rhino and other cold adapted species from the Arctic. Neanderthals living
in these territories suffered severe demographic contractions due to the
new ecological conditions and only returned to the areas above 48DEG N
latitude during climatic ameliorations.

However, in spite of the discontinuous settlement, specific bifacial
stone tools persisted in Central-Eastern Europe from the beginning of
this ecological shift until the demise of the Neanderthals. This cultural tradition is named Micoquian, and spread across the frosty environment
between eastern France, Poland and the Caucasus. Previous genetic analyses showed that two major demographic turnover events in Neanderthal history
are associated with the Micoquian cultural tradition. At ~90,000 years
ago, western European Neanderthals replaced the local Altai Neanderthals population in Central Asia.

Successively, by at least ~45,000 years ago, western European Neanderthals substituted the local groups in the Caucasus.


==========================================================================
The paper published in Scientific Reports and led by researchers of
the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany,
Wroclaw University, Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals
Polish Academy of Sciences, and University of Bologna reports the oldest mitochondrial genome of a Neanderthal found in Central-Eastern Europe. The molecular age of ~80,000 years places the tooth from Stajnia Cave in
this important period of Neanderthal history when the environment was characterized by extreme seasonality and some groups dispersed eastwards
to Central Asia. "Poland, located at the crossroad between the Western
European Plains and the Urals, is a key region in understanding these migrations and for solving questions about the adaptability and biology of Neanderthals in periglacial habitat. The Stajnia S5000 molar is truly an exceptional find that sheds light on the debate over the wide distribution
of the Micoquian artefacts," says Andrea Picin, lead author of the study
and Postdoctoral Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig.

Genetic analysis Neanderthal remains associated with the Micoquian
cultural tradition are very few and genetic information has only been
extracted from samples of Germany, Northern Caucasus and Altai. "We
were aware of the geographical importance of this tooth for adding more chronological points in the distribution map of genetic information
of Neanderthals," says Mateja Hajdinjak, co-author of the paper and Postdoctoral Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. "We found that the mitochondrial genome of Stajnia
S5000 was closest to the one of a Mezmaiskaya 1 Neanderthal from the
Caucasus. We then used the molecular genetic clock in order to determine
its approximate age.

Although the molecular branch shortening approach comes with a wide error range, crossing the information with the archaeological record permitted
us to place the fossil at the beginning of the Last Glacial." The tooth
was discovered in 2007 during fieldwork directed by Mikolaj Urbanowski, co-author of the paper, within animal bones and a few stone tools.

The opening of the cave was probably too narrow for prolonged settlement,
and Neanderthal occupations were short-term. The site could have been
a logistical location settled during forays into the Krakow-Czestochowa
Upland.

"We were thrilled when the genetic analysis revealed that the tooth
was at least ~80,000 years old. Fossils of this age are very difficult
to find and, generally, the DNA is not well preserved," say Wioletta Nowaczewska of Wroclaw University and Adam Nadachowski from the
Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals Polish Academy of
Sciences, co-authors of the paper. "At the beginning, we thought that
the tooth was younger since it was found in an upper layer. We were
aware that Stajnia Cave is a complex site, and post-depositional frost disturbance mixed artefacts between layers. We are happily surprised by
the result." Concerning the paleoanthropological features, Stefano Benazzi
of Bologna University, co-author of the paper, adds, "The morphology
of the tooth is typical of Neanderthal, which was also confirmed by the
genetic analysis.

The worn condition of the crown suggests that it belonged to an adult." Neanderthals in periglacial environments Archaeologists have been puzzled
for a long time by the resilience of Neanderthals in these regions and
by the persistence of Micoquian stone tools for more than 50,000 years
across a huge area. Beyond the taphonomic issues, the lithic assemblage of Stajnia displays a set of features that are common to several key sites
in Germany, Crimea, Northern Caucasus and Altai. These similarities
are likely the result of increasing mobility of Neanderthal groups
that frequently moved across the Northern and Eastern European Plains
chasing cold adapted migratory animals. The Prut and Dniester rivers
were probably used as the main corridors of dispersal from Central Europe
to the Caucasus. Similar corridors could also have been used at ~45,000
years ago when other western Neanderthals carrying Micoquian stone tools replaced local populations at Mezmaiskaya Cave in the Caucasus.

In summarizing the wider implications of this study, Sahra Talamo from
the University of Bologna says, "The multidisciplinary approach is always
the best way to better contextualize a challenging archeological site, as
is evident in this research. The result of the Neanderthal of Stajnia is
a great example showing that the molecular clock is incredibly effective
for dates older than 55,000 years BP."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Max_Planck_Institute_for_Evolutionary_Anthropology. Note: Content may
be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Andrea Picin, et al. New perspectives on Neanderthal dispersal and
turnover from Stajnia Cave (Poland). Scientific Reports, 2020 DOI:
10.1038/s41598-020-71504-x ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200908113328.htm

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