An international team of researchers from China, Denmark and several other nations has uncovered bones and a collection of tools tied to Denisovans, enigmatic cousins of both modern humans and Neanderthals. The findings are presented in the journal Nature, signaling a major contribution to the understanding of this elusive human lineage.
In the Baishiya karst cave, perched high in the mountains at an elevation of about 3,280 meters, the investigators recovered more than 2,500 distinct remains. This substantial trove offers a rare window into how Denisovans lived, hunted, and processed their environment in a rugged and challenging landscape.
Modern analyses of ancient proteins indicate that Denisovans exploited a broad array of animal resources. Their prey included wild sheep, marmots and various bird species, alongside larger mammals such as yaks and spotted hyenas, and even woolly rhinoceroses. The breadth of recovered animal taxa suggests a flexible subsistence strategy and a deep knowledge of local ecosystems that supported sustained hunter-gatherer lifeways in highland settings.
Beyond hunting, the team identified implements that were clearly used for skinning hides and dividing meat, pointing to a toolkit that supported processing tasks essential for survival in a cold, high-altitude environment. These tools reveal a sophisticated approach to butchering and hide preparation, underscoring the versatility of Denisovan technology in adapting to diverse ecological niches.
Friedo Welker, a molecular anthropologist at the University of Copenhagen and a co-author of the study, commented on the implications: such evidence provides a first glimpse into the practical strategies Denisovans used to harness animal resources. It underscores a level of ingenuity and craft that aligns with broader patterns observed in other contemporary hominin groups, yet also highlights unique adaptations that set Denisovans apart.
The excavated site also yielded a Denisovan rib fragment with a radiocarbon-style age range between 48,000 and 32,000 years ago, making it the youngest known Denisovan fossil to date. This discovery helps narrow the timeline for when Denisovans persisted in certain regions and offers a crucial data point for reconstructing their geographic spread and overlap with other hominin groups during the late Pleistocene.
Earlier expeditions targeting the Tibetan plateau had already identified Denisovan remains that were considerably older, dating to around 160,000 years or more. The new material from Baishiya adds a later chapter to the Denisovan narrative, suggesting episodes of regional persistence and perhaps localized refugia where these populations thrived despite broader climatic fluctuations during the ice ages.
The broader genetic and archaeological picture continues to broaden as researchers apply cutting-edge proteomics and ancient DNA techniques. While some Denisovan ancestry has been traced in the genomes of present-day populations in parts of Oceania and Southeast Asia, the physical bones and tools from sites like Baishiya provide tangible evidence of how these ancient people lived, worked, and adapted to high-elevation life. The implications extend beyond a single species, feeding into larger questions about human evolution, adaptation, and the complex web of interactions among ancient hominins that shaped the modern human story.
In summary, the Baishiya discovery adds a significant chapter to our understanding of Denisovans. The combination of abundant remains, diverse animal resources, and functional tools paints a picture of a resilient population capable of thriving in challenging environments. Researchers emphasize that continued excavation and multidisciplinary analysis will further illuminate the daily practices, ecological knowledge, and technical innovations that defined Denisovan life and its enduring genetic legacy in today’s human populations.