Denisova Cave
Denisova Cave (Russian: Денисова пещера, romanized: Denísova peshchéra, lit. 'the cave of Denis'; Altay: Аю-Таш, romanized: Ayu Tash, lit. 'Bear Rock') is a cave in the Bashelaksky Range of the Altai mountains, Siberian Federal District, Russia. The cave has provided items of great paleoarchaeological and paleontological interest. Bone fragments of the Denisova hominin originate from the cave, including artifacts dated to around 40,000 BP. Remains of a 32,000-year-old prehistoric species of horse have also been found in the cave.
Денисова пещера | |
Denisova Cave in 2008 | |
Location in Russia Denisova Cave (Altai Krai) Denisova Cave (Russia) | |
| Alternative name | Аю-Таш |
|---|---|
| Location | Soloneshensky District, Altai Krai |
| Region | Siberian Federal District, Russia |
| Coordinates | 51°23′51″N 84°40′34″E |
| Altitude | 700 m (2,297 ft) |
| Type | limestone, karst |
| Area | 270 m2 (2,900 sq ft) |
| History | |
| Periods | Paleolithic 30,000 to 48,000 years ago |
| Cultures | Denisovans, Neanderthals, Homo sapiens sapiens |
The cave is located in a region thought to have been inhabited concurrently in the past by Neanderthals and by modern humans. A bone needle dated to 50,000 years ago was discovered at the archaeological site in 2016 and has been described as the most ancient needle known (though another possible needle dates to about 10,000 years earlier from South Africa from c. 61,000 years ago).
Denisovans, Neanderthals and related hybrids may have inhabited the Denisova Cave for extended periods, but perhaps not at the same time. The attribution of the needle and certain other artifacts at the cave, whether to Homo sapiens or to the Denisova hominin (also sometimes known as Homo denisova), is uncertain.