Neanderthal fossils found in Spain's Abauntz cave reveal new insights into their presence in the Western Pyrenees and their biological traits.
Neanderthal fossils found in Navarre
Neanderthals occupied the Abauntz cave in Spain, located in the Ulzama valley (Navarre province) near the Velate pass, on the southern slope of the Pyrenees. These are the first Neanderthal fossils discovered in Navarre.Fossils include hand fragments and DNA
The fossils include six hand fragments dated to 46,000 years from which DNA could be extracted. The Abauntz cave is near the Cantabrian Spain and Aquitaine regions, and its strategic location allowed Paleolithic hominins to control the passage of game and access to the northern slope of the Pyrenees.Long history of excavations at the site
Excavation campaigns have been carried out there since 1976 by prehistorian Pilar Utrilla, who resumed the research with archaeologist Carlos Mazo until 1996. Magdalenian levels and several parietal art engravings, including horses, chamois, and an anthropomorphic figure, have been uncovered in the cave.New research team leads fresh excavations
New excavations at the site were directed by Dr. Andion Arteaga, a researcher at the Centre of New Technologies of the University of Warsaw (Poland) and affiliated researcher at the IPHES-CERCA, and Dr. Mikel Arlegi, a postdoctoral researcher at the Musée de l'Homme in Paris (France), along with other members of the scientific team currently participating in a new excavation campaign.Fossils include human bones and carnivore marks
The fossil ensemble includes three metacarpals and a middle phalanx of the right hand of an adult individual, as well as two additional bone fragments identified as human through proteomic analysis. Genetic studies have confirmed that these remains belonged to a male Neanderthal. Some human remains bear traces of carnivore bites, which may provide insight into the post-mortem processes and the circumstances of their accumulation within the cave.Archaeological context reveals human activity
The fossils were found in an archaeological context that also includes stone tools and animal remains, some of which bear marks indicating their transformation and consumption by human groups that occupied the cave. The combination of proteomic analyses, genetic studies, and radiocarbon dating allowed the identification of the remains, determination of the individual's sex, and establishment of a precise chronology.Findings expand understanding of Neanderthals
These discoveries constitute an essential foundation for the study of the biological characteristics of Neanderthals inhabiting the Western Pyrenees and their possible links with other European populations.Researchers highlight significance of the find
Dr. Andion Arteaga noted that this discovery fills an important gap in the paleoanthropological data of the Western Pyrenees and opens new perspectives for the study of the populations that inhabited this region during the last phases of Neanderthal history. Dr. Mikel Arlegi emphasized that the ability to extract ancient DNA and precisely date the fossils is particularly significant, offering an exceptional basis for studying the biological characteristics of this individual and exploring the links between Neanderthal populations in Europe.
