Torre Pacheco,there could be a little of the Neanderthal in all of us

Torre Pacheco, latest findings from the Sima de las Palomas

2011-01-15

This week the eminent Professor of Palaentology from Washington University, USA, Erik Trinkaus, together with Professor Michael Walker from Murcia University, presented the findings of Professor Trinkaus following his visit and examination of remains excavated from the Sima de las Palomas in Torre Pacheco.

The excavation site,  in the Cabezo Gordo in Torre Pacheco , is one of the most important sites in Europe and Western Asia, amongst the top 10 or 12,  in relation to the study of Neanderthal remains.

It´s important for several reasons;

The quantity of remains found.

The completeness of three of the skeletons

The unique evidence about specific Neanderthals in Spain which shows characteristics differing from those found in France and other european sites.

The possibility that they may be evidence of inter breeding between Neanderthals and early human ancestors, Homo sapiens.

Remains of this period are rare, partly because there simply weren´t that many groups of Neanderthal in existence, and those that have been found are distributed across a large continental area. 

Although Neanderthal were a different species to ourselves, they are believed to have co-existed alongside our own ancestors in some areas, although due to the limited size of numbers and the geographical distribution, encounters between them are believed to have been fairly infrequent.

Hypotheses have been put forward in the past that our ancestors were responsible in some way for the disappearance of the Neanderthal species about 30,000 years ago, whilst others suggest that there may have been interbreeding between the two in some places.

The Professor explained that due to the infrequency of encounters, when the two groups did meet, they may have believed they were actually the same species, and due to the lack of availability of mates, it is certainly possible that there may have been instances of reproduction between the two species.

In the opinion of the professor, some of the remains found at Sima de las Palomas possibly indicate that this may have occurred.

This hypothesis is nothing new, although still highly controversial, traditional wisdom believing that the two species had not cross bred.

Geneticists who have isolated Neanderthal DNA had said that if cross breeding has taken place, that it had not resulted in a species which survived, as there were no traces of Neanderthal DNA in modern human DNA, but a report published in 2010 blew these traditional theories apart, indicating that there may be a little bit of the Neanderthal in all of us.

Professor Trinkaus has 40 years experience researching Neanderthal sites and has previously expressed his beliefs that cross breeding between species did in fact take place, but this is the first time that speculation has been made public that this could have occurred in Torre Pacheco.

Whilst research into Neanderthals is limited by the availability of skeletal remains, scientific advances into technological assistance are improving the tools available, enabling researchers to more accurately understand diet, weight, height and reproductive processes.

The Torre Pacheco site has yielded three near complete skeletons, one of which appears to be a female, aged between 20 and 25 years old, and is particularly important as it has a complete pelvis, the only one known to be in existence, which can provide invaluable information about the reproduction, as well as the size, weight and habits of the Neanderthals.

It is the only skeleton found in the last 40 years which is in what´s called a state of anatomical connection, ie virtually complete, and although there are parts missing still presents a significant discovery.

At a briefing last year, Professor Walker spoke of the possibility that the three individuals found in the excavation may have been buried during a landslip, possibly whilst sleeping at night, or even deliberately placed in this cave following death, the interesting point about this excavation being that the female had certainly been interred in some way, either by accident or design.

At a time when scavengers roamed, rotting flesh of any description was an attractive proposition to a hungry animal, hence the reason why many remains found represent only parts of individuals, not complete skeletons.

Extraction of the remains is a slow, painstaking process, the site being small, and in a position which is difficult to access. The team working on the excavation are working in fairly restricted conditions as part of a summer campaign directed by Professor Walker , who is also in charge of excavations at the Cueva Negra in North Murcia, another important prehistoric site.

Studies on the remains will continue for several more years as work continues on the Sima de las Palomas site and technological advances continue to provide evidence which challenges former research.

A new palaeontology museum is being constructed in Torre Pacheco which traces the evolution of mankind and will offer displays to the public of remains recovered from the Sima de las Palomas excavation.

The Director of Bellas Artes indicated that this should be ready for inauguration by the end of 2012.

If you are interested in this subject you may find the archaeological Museum in Murcia well worth a visit. It has a well constructed display which makes it easy to understand the evolution of modern man as well as an excellent collection of interesting pieces which chart the cultural origins of this region. It´s well worth visiting if you´re in Murcia ( and has an excellent , chic cafe outside).

Click Archaeological Museum, Murcia