ArticleNature2014
The timing and spatiotemporal patterning of Neanderthal disappearance.
Article in Nature, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 158 papers.
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158 citing papers in PubMed.
- Ancient DNA and Human Physiology.Physiology (Bethesda, Md.) · 2026Review
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- Insights into human adaptation from ancient DNA.Nature genetics · 2026Review
- Archaeogenetic insights into the demographic history of Late Neanderthals.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026Article
- Comparing Neanderthal Introgression Maps Reveals Core Agreement But Substantial Heterogeneity.Molecular biology and evolution · 2026Article
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- A new late Neanderthal from Crimea reveals long-distance connections across Eurasia.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025Article
- A simple analytical model for Neanderthal disappearance due to genetic dilution by recurrent small-scale immigrations of modern humans.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Châtelperronian cultural diversity at its western limits: Shell beads and pigments from La Roche-à-Pierrot, Saint-Césaire.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025Article
- Comparing Neanderthal introgression maps reveals core agreement but substantial heterogeneity.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- Molecular Paleontology Meets Drug Discovery: The Case for De-extinct Antimicrobials.ACS omega · 2025Review
- Structure of a polymorphic repeat at theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025Article
- Structure of a polymorphic repeat at themedRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2025Article
- Neanderthals, hypercarnivores, and maggots: Insights from stable nitrogen isotopes.Science advances · 2025Article
- New insights from the application of ZooMS to Late Pleistocene fauna from Grotta di Castelcivita, southern Italy.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Neanderthal coasteering and the first Portuguese hominin tracksites.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Reconciling Species Concepts: An Ecological Perspective.American journal of biological anthropology · 2025Article
- Climate influence on the early human occupation of South America during the late Pleistocene.Nature communications · 2025Article
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98 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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48 authors.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The timing of Neanderthal disappearance and the extent to which they overlapped with the earliest incoming anatomically modern humans (AMHs) in Eurasia are key questions in palaeoanthropology. Determining the spatiotemporal relationship between the two populations is crucial if we are to understand the processes, timing and reasons leading to the disappearance of Neanderthals and the likelihood of cultural and genetic exchange. Serious technical challenges, however, have hindered reliable dating of the period, as the radiocarbon method reaches its limit at ∼50,000 years ago. Here we apply improved accelerator mass spectrometry (14)C techniques to construct robust chronologies from 40 key Mousterian and Neanderthal archaeological sites, ranging from Russia to Spain. Bayesian age modelling was used to generate probability distribution functions to determine the latest appearance date. We show that the Mousterian ended by 41,030-39,260 calibrated years bp (at 95.4% probability) across Europe. We also demonstrate that succeeding 'transitional' archaeological industries, one of which has been linked with Neanderthals (Châtelperronian), end at a similar time. Our data indicate that the disappearance of Neanderthals occurred at different times in different regions. Comparing the data with results obtained from the earliest dated AMH sites in Europe, associated with the Uluzzian technocomplex, allows us to quantify the temporal overlap between the two human groups. The results reveal a significant overlap of 2,600-5,400 years (at 95.4% probability). This has important implications for models seeking to explain the cultural, technological and biological elements involved in the replacement of Neanderthals by AMHs. A mosaic of populations in Europe during the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition suggests that there was ample time for the transmission of cultural and symbolic behaviours, as well as possible genetic exchanges, between the two groups.
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