Denisovan fossils in China reveal an ancient ‘hunting paradise’
Denisovan remains discovered in southwestern China reveal that Yunnan province’s warm, biodiverse plateau was a “hunting paradise” for the hominins during a global glacial period, according to new research published in the journal Nature. Within the region’s coniferous forests and forest-steppe environments, this archaic human group established a stable subsistence pattern highly adapted to local…
New research published in the journal Nature reveals that a region in southwestern China, known as Yunnan province, once served as a "hunting paradise" for ancient Denisovan hominins during a global glacial period. The findings, detailed in two studies co-authored by scientists from institutions including the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, shed new light on the appearance, evolution, and behavior of this elusive human group.
In the region's coniferous forests and forest-steppe environments, Denisovans established a stable subsistence pattern, specializing in hunting and exploiting local animal resources. Prior to this study, only a handful of molecularly identified Denisovan remains had been discovered, leaving scientists with limited understanding of the species.
The studies analyzed fossils, associated artifacts, and subsistence strategies unearthed in Bianfu Cave, a site in Yunnan's Dali Bai autonomous prefecture on the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. The cave's location, at an altitude of 7,775 feet, on the edge of the Hengduan Mountains, provided a relatively warm climate and conifer-dominated forest-steppe environment that could support a stable supply of mammals.
The research team identified three Denisovan fossils, including two parietal bone fragments and one proximal radial fragment, as well as two Denisovan teeth, dating back between 134,000 and 167,000 years. These remains suggest that during the glacial period, the relatively warm climate and conifer-dominated environment around Bianfu Cave transformed the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau into a "hunting paradise" for Denisovans.
The studies also revealed that the cave's inhabitants were highly skilled at hunting medium and large animals. The researchers noted that the Denisovans' tools were highly practical, with stone chipping utilized as needed and widespread use of raw, unshaped animal bones. This indicates that the Denisovans were well-adapted to their environment and had developed effective strategies for survival.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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