A Middle Pleistocene Denisovan molar from the Annamite Chain of northern Laos
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The Pleistocene presence of the genus Homo in continental Southeast Asia is primarily evidenced by a sparse stone tool record and rare human remains. Here we report a Middle Pleistocene hominin specimen from Laos, with the discovery of a molar from the Tam Ngu Hao 2 (Cobra Cave) limestone cave in the Annamite Mountains. The age of the fossil-bearing breccia ranges between 164-131 kyr, based on the Bayesian modelling of luminescence dating of the sedimentary matrix from which it was recovered, U-series dating of an overlying flowstone, and U-series-ESR dating of associated faunal teeth. Analyses of the internal structure of the molar in tandem with palaeoproteomic analyses of the enamel indicate that the tooth derives from a young, likely female, Homo individual. The close morphological affinities with the Xiahe specimen from China indicate that they belong to the same taxon and that Tam Ngu Hao 2 most likely represents a Denisovan.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 2557 |
Journal | Nature Communications |
Volume | 13 |
Number of pages | 17 |
ISSN | 2041-1723 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Bibliographical note
© 2022. The Author(s).
- Animals, Bayes Theorem, Female, Fossils, Hominidae/anatomy & histology, Humans, Laos, Molar
Research areas
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