Uncovering the Age of the Prominent Neanderthal-Human Crossbreed Child Through Revolutionary Techniques
The Lapedo Child, a unique skeleton discovered in Portugal in 1998 with both human and Neanderthal features, has been the subject of much interest among scientists. After several attempts, a new radiocarbon dating technique has finally provided a precise age for this ancient individual.
The team's analysis of the child's right radius revealed that the Lapedo Child lived between 27,780 and 28,850 years ago. This new date estimate offers valuable insights into the timeline of early modern human occupation and migration across Europe.
The Lapedo Child's grave, located in a rock shelter, contained several intriguing items, including older red deer pelves, charcoal, and beads made from marine shells. Initially, the red deer pelves were thought to be meat offerings, but their age challenges this interpretation. Instead, they may have been intentionally placed as part of the burial, possibly as support.
A rabbit vertebra found in the grave was also placed ritually, possibly as a symbolic offering for the grave. The charcoal beneath the child was found to predate the child, challenging the previous interpretation of it being a ritually burned twig for the grave.
The new radiocarbon dating technique used to determine the age of the Lapedo Child is called compound-specific radiocarbon dating. This method targets specific amino acids to determine the sample's age, reducing the impact of contaminants. Hydroxyproline, a specific amino acid extracted from the bone collagen, acts like a 'collagen fingerprint' and ensures the carbon being dated is coming directly from the bone.
This groundbreaking technique was employed by researchers from the University of Barcelona, along with colleagues from the University of Coimbra and the University of Lisbon. The use of hydroxyproline dating could potentially help refine estimates of ancient human relatives worldwide in the future, offering a more accurate understanding of early modern humans and Neanderthals' movements and occupations across the continent.
In 2017, hydroxyproline dating was used to find that Neanderthal remains in Croatia's Vindija Cave were older than 40,000 years, challenging the general estimate for Neanderthals' disappearance. This technique could also help recalibrate the timing of human presence in Europe (and beyond) with precision.
The Lapedo Child belongs to the Gravettian culture that existed between 32,000 and 24,000 years ago. However, recent genetic analysis has shown that Gravettian groups across Europe were not closely related. This finding underscores the complexity of early human migrations and cultural interactions in Europe during this period.
The discovery and precise dating of the Lapedo Child provide a valuable window into our past, shedding light on the early modern human occupation of Europe and the interactions between different human groups during this crucial period in human history.
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