The North Caucasus was settled 100 thousand years ago by two groups of Neanderthal immigrants – one from Europe, the other from Transcaucasia. This was reported by the press service of the RNF.
Neanderthals lived in Europe and Western Asia during the Middle Paleolithic, 260-40 thousand years ago. At the same time, the Neanderthal population was not homogeneous, consisting of several populations that differed both genetically and culturally. In particular, they approached the manufacture of stone tools in different ways, making it easy to identify who made it. However, for a long time it was unclear where these populations came from.
Specialists of the ANO “Prehistoric Laboratory” conducted a study of the archaeological culture of Neanderthals at two sites: in the Saray-Chuko cave near Nalchik and in the Mezmaiskaya cave near Maykop. At the first site, the authors found the remains of three Neanderthals who, according to radiocarbon analysis, were about 100-70 thousand years old. Also, scientists found a large number of flint tools in the Mezmaiskaya cave. These included specially crafted spearheads, small cuts, and special forms of double-sided scraper blades. The shape and processing technique of these tools indicated that the finds belonged to the Mykokian cultural tradition, which was the most widespread Neanderthal cultural tradition in Central and Eastern Europe and was also known in Altai.
A completely different picture was observed in the Saray-Chuko cave, where Neanderthals lived in the period 120-40 thousand years ago. In 90% of cases, obsidian became the material for stone tools, which is volcanic glass that can have a very sharp cutting edge. Probably ancient people chose it because the only source of this material in the Caucasus was near this cave. About 30% of the tools were also found scrapers, spearheads and other items. Most of these were made on flakes obtained using the layered technique: it made it possible to obtain long six rectangular flakes with parallel edges and parallel faceting on stone samples; impact edges have undergone additional careful machining. European Neanderthals did not process stone tools in this way, but this is a characteristic feature of the Zagros Mousterian culture, whose area is located in the Armenian Highlands and northern Iran.
Thus, scientists conclude that the Caucasian Neanderthal population consisted of at least two parts: immigrants from Europe and immigrants from Transcaucasia and Iran.
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