|
|
Article: Neanderthal Relics Spawn New Debate; Did Subspecies Coexist With Modern Humans?
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- June 27, 1991
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
|
People of the now extinct Neanderthal subspecies coexisted in
Europe for thousands of years with modern humans, a team of French
scientists has concluded, suggesting the two probably were in
contact, perhaps trading tools and ideas, and maybe even a few
genes.
Based on determinations of the age of flint found alongside
Neanderthal remains in a French cave, researchers now assert the
short and stocky Neanderthals did not die out until about 36,000
years ago, which means they overlapped with anatomically modern
humans by several thousand years.
Previous attempts to determine the age of the Neanderthal
skeleton were unsuccessful. Until now, it looked as if Neanderthal
peoples disappeared ...