• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Anthropology

Archaeologists identify Zagros Mountains as likely place for Neanderthal and Homo Sapiens interbreeding

New research sheds light on a pivotal region in human evolutionary history—the Zagros Mountains, which stretch across modern-day Iran, Iraq, and southeastern Turkey.

by Dario Radley
September 9, 2024

According to a study published in Scientific Reports, a team of archaeologists has identified the Zagros Mountains as a likely area where interbreeding between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans (AMHs) occurred during the Late Pleistocene.

A reconstruction of a Neanderthal man.
A reconstruction of an elderly Neanderthal man. Credit: Neanderthal-Museum, Mettmann

This discovery, based on advanced ecological niche modeling and geographical information systems (GIS), offers new insights into where these two human species may have crossed paths, exchanged genes, and shaped the genetic makeup of modern populations.

While the genetic intermingling of Neanderthals and AMHs is well-documented, the exact locations where such interactions occurred have been unclear. However, this recent study, led by Saman Guran from the University of Cologne in Germany, points to the Zagros Mountains as a critical area. The researchers focused on a period known as Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS 5), which occurred between 120,000 and 80,000 years ago. Using climate and environmental data, the team reconstructed the possible ranges of Neanderthals and modern humans and identified overlapping areas where these species likely met.

Archaeologists identify Zagros Mountains as likely place for Neanderthal and Homo Sapiens interbreeding
Habitat suitability models of the two Homo species and their potential contact and interbreeding zones in Southwest Asia and Southeast Europe. Credit: Guran et al., Scientific Reports (2024) CC BY 4.0

The Zagros region, known for its steep cliffs and rich biodiversity, stood out as an ideal environment for both species. The area’s varied topography and warm climate would have made it an attractive habitat for Neanderthals, who were accustomed to the harsher, cooler climates of Europe. At the same time, it lay directly in the path of modern humans migrating out of Africa, making it a natural crossroads for the two species.

“The possibility of attracting different hominin groups in the Zagros Mountains is justified by the geographical conditions of this region,” the research team noted in the study. This area, they explained, sits at the border between the Palearctic and Afrotropical biogeographical zones, which likely facilitated the northward movement of modern humans and the southward dispersal of Neanderthals during climatic shifts in the Pleistocene.

RelatedStories

43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world's oldest

43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world’s oldest

May 30, 2025
Prehistoric animal remains in Iran's Wezmeh Cave reveal ancient Zagros ecosystems

Prehistoric animal remains in Iran’s Wezmeh Cave reveal Zagros biodiversity

May 27, 2025

Fossil evidence from the Zagros region further supports this theory. Shanidar Cave in the northern Zagros, for instance, has yielded the remains of ten Neanderthals, some of which were buried with flowers, indicating that Neanderthals may have had ritual burial practices. Similarly, the Wezmeh and Bisetun caves in Iran have revealed Neanderthal fossils, while a Neanderthal tooth discovered at the Bawa Yawan rock shelter provides crucial evidence that Neanderthals were present in the area at a time when interbreeding with AMHs could have taken place.

Archaeologists identify Zagros Mountains as likely place for Neanderthal and Homo Sapiens interbreeding
Distribution of key archaeological sites dating between MIS 5 to 3 across southwest Asia and southeast Europe. Credit: Guran et al., Scientific Reports (2024)

While physical evidence is often scarce, the team’s use of ecological niche modeling offers a novel approach to identifying potential interbreeding zones. By analyzing factors such as temperature, precipitation, and terrain, they were able to pinpoint the Zagros Mountains as a likely meeting ground. The models suggest that during periods of climatic shifts, this mountainous area became more favorable for both Neanderthals and modern humans, increasing the chances of interaction and, eventually, interbreeding.

The implications of this interbreeding are profound. Genetic studies have shown that Neanderthal DNA still exists in many people today, particularly those of non-African descent. This inherited DNA influences various traits, including immune responses and skin pigmentation, highlighting the enduring impact of these ancient encounters on modern human biology.

More information: Guran, S.H., Yousefi, M., Kafash, A. et al. (2024). Reconstructing contact and a potential interbreeding geographical zone between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans. Sci Rep 14, 20475. DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-70206-y
Share6Tweet4Share1ShareSend

You May Also Like...

Rare 1,800-year-old Roman soldier’s wrist purse unearthed in Czech Republic reveals life on the empire’s frontier
Archaeology

Rare 1,800-year-old Roman soldier’s wrist purse unearthed in Czech Republic reveals life on the empire’s frontier

June 28, 2025
Ancient Roman breakwater found off Bacoli shows ingenious engineering at imperial fleet base
Archaeology

Ancient Roman breakwater found off Bacoli shows ingenious engineering at imperial fleet base

June 28, 2025
40,000-year-old mammoth tusk boomerang found in Poland may be the oldest in the world
Archaeology

40,000-year-old mammoth tusk boomerang found in Poland may be the oldest in the world

June 27, 2025
Enigmatic Carnac megaliths reveal Europe's earliest monuments
Archaeology

Enigmatic Carnac megaliths reveal Europe’s earliest monuments

June 27, 2025
Roman Bath
Archaeology

‘Baths, wine, and sex make life worth living’: how ancient Romans used public baths to relax, work out and socialise

June 27, 2025
Researchers recreate 16th-century prosthetic hand with 3D printing to explore historical amputee life
Archaeology

Researchers recreate 16th-century prosthetic hand with 3D printing to explore historical amputee life

June 27, 2025

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
110K

Threads
43K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Genetic study reveals the origin and diversity of the Huns

European Huns were not of Turkic origin but had ancient Siberian roots, linguistic study reveals

June 24, 2025
Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

May 28, 2025
Viking-era boat burial unearthed in Norway reveals 1,100-year-old remains of woman and her dog

Viking-era boat burial unearthed in Norway reveals 1,100-year-old remains of woman and her dog

June 9, 2025
Sinkhole in York uncovers remains of medieval St Leonard’s Hospital, one of northern England’s largest

Sinkhole in York uncovers remains of medieval St Leonard’s Hospital, one of northern England’s largest

June 22, 2025
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

Rare 1,800-year-old Roman soldier’s wrist purse unearthed in Czech Republic reveals life on the empire’s frontier

Rare 1,800-year-old Roman soldier’s wrist purse unearthed in Czech Republic reveals life on the empire’s frontier

June 28, 2025
Ancient Roman breakwater found off Bacoli shows ingenious engineering at imperial fleet base

Ancient Roman breakwater found off Bacoli shows ingenious engineering at imperial fleet base

June 28, 2025
40,000-year-old mammoth tusk boomerang found in Poland may be the oldest in the world

40,000-year-old mammoth tusk boomerang found in Poland may be the oldest in the world

June 27, 2025
Enigmatic Carnac megaliths reveal Europe's earliest monuments

Enigmatic Carnac megaliths reveal Europe’s earliest monuments

June 27, 2025
Roman Bath

‘Baths, wine, and sex make life worth living’: how ancient Romans used public baths to relax, work out and socialise

June 27, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.