A Middle Pleistocene Denisovan molar from the Annamite Chain of northern Laos
Demeter F, Zanolli C, Westaway KE, Joannes-Boyau R, Duringer P, Morley MW, Welker F, Rüther PL, Skinner MM, McColl H, Gaunitz C, Vinner L, Dunn TE, Olsen JV, Sikora M, Ponche JL, Suzzoni E, Frangeul S, Boesch Q, Antoine PO, Pan L, Xing S, Zhao JX, Bailey RM, Boualaphane S, Sichanthongtip P, Sihanam D, Patole-Edoumba E, Aubaile F, Crozier F, Bourgon N, Zachwieja A, Luangkhoth T, Souksavatdy V, Sayavongkhamdy T, Cappellini E, Bacon AM, Hublin JJ, Willerslev E, Shackelford L.
Abstract
The Pleistocene presence of the genus Homo in continental Southeast Asia is primarily evidenced by a sparse stone tool record and rare human remains. Here we report a Middle Pleistocene hominin specimen from Laos, with the discovery of a molar from the Tam Ngu Hao 2 (Cobra Cave) limestone cave in the Annamite Mountains. The age of the fossil-bearing breccia ranges between 164–131 kyr, based on the Bayesian modelling of luminescence dating of the sedimentary matrix from which it was recovered, U-series dating of an overlying flowstone, and U-series–ESR dating of associated faunal teeth. Analyses of the internal structure of the molar in tandem with palaeoproteomic analyses of the enamel indicate that the tooth derives from a young, likely female, Homo individual. The close morphological affinities with the Xiahe specimen from China indicate that they belong to the same taxon and that Tam Ngu Hao 2 most likely represents a Denisovan. Subject terms: Palaeontology, Biological anthropology, Archaeology, Proteomics
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