Neanderthal Extinction Hypotheses - Coexistence Prior To Extinction

Coexistence Prior To Extinction

Neanderthals and modern humans coexisted in Europe for several thousand years, but the duration of this period is uncertain. Modern humans may have first migrated to Europe 40–43,000 years ago, and Neanderthals may have lived as recently as 24,000 years ago in refugia on the south coast of the Iberian peninsula such as Gorham's Cave. Inter-stratification of Neanderthal and modern human remains has been suggested, but is disputed.

To further provide evidence to the claim that Neanderthals and modern humans coexisted, we can look at the work of Mellars, Gravina, and Ramsey. They discussed that there was a series of radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometer measurements for the site of Chatelperron in central France, which was said to present a clear "interstratification" of successive levels of Neanderthal and modern human occupation, based on the archeological findings provided by Henri Delporte in the 1950s. In western European caves, the archeological levels show altering uses of the same place based on the two different types of bones found. Modern humans and Neanderthals coexisting created a slight disturbance in the stratigraphic and archiological sequence of the areas they shared. This proves that they coexisted and somehow impacted each other. The first Neanderthal draft genome suggests that Neanderthals made a small, but obvious contribution to the ancestry of modern humans. Two Neanderthal fossil specimens were discovered at Mezmaiskaya during excavations (the skeleton of a Neanderthal neote and 24 cranial fragments of an infant) were found in the Middle Paleolithic layer. This proves Neanderthal survival in the Caucasus period. The Caucasus was said to be one of the times that AMH populations were established. This being said, it can be concluded that Neanderthals and AMH coexisted in several areas.