On the rocky shores of Gibraltar , archeologist have discovered a new chamber in a cave system that was a haunt of some of Europe ’s last exist Neanderthals . Among the marker and bones distinguish in the newly found sleeping room , the squad hopes to uncover more insights into the civilization and customs of our mysterious sibling species .
The newfangled chamber was discovered within the Gorham ’s Cave Complex World Heritage Site , a ocean - level cave in Gibraltar , a British overseas territory nestled on the southern tip of Spain . Thoughtto be one of thelast have it away hideoutsof the Neanderthals in Europe , the cave has been widely explored since it was first excavated in 1997 . Last month , however , archeologist from theGibraltar National Museumdiscovered a new 13 - meter ( 42 - animal foot ) thick chamber at the back of the cave that had been sealed by sediment for at least 40,000 years .
As well as the bone of a catamount , hyaena , and griffon vulture , an initial analysis of the chamber let out the presence of chicken feed marks on the wall , most in all probability made by an unknown carnivore . The most convincing evidence that this part of the cave was used by Neandtherals is the eggshell of a large whelk , an eatable type of sea escargot , that must have beentransportedup to the chamber due to its space from the waters .
Neanderthals ( Homo neanderthalensis ) were a human coinage that egress over 400,000 years ago — long before us ( Homo Sapiens ) — across Eurasia until theyslipped into extinctionaround 40,000 days ago . However , their bequest still lives on ; Neanderthal genescan be foundin every modern human universe due to proflic interbreeding . The percentage of Neanderthal DNA in modernistic humans is just0.3 percentage inAfrican populations , but is about 1 to 3 pct in citizenry of European or Asiatic ancestry .
In the past , Neanderthals were often portrayed asH. Sapiens ’ heavily - browed cave dweller relations , bear to lack the cognitive power to make grow complex refinement . However , a number of discoveries in recent decades have shown that our extinct cousins were perhaps on acomparable levelto us , cognitively verbalise . The originate picture we have is of Neanderthals as complex people whocreated artistry , buried their idle , decorate their bodieswith jewelry , cared for the disabled , and had alreadydiscovered penicillin .
Through further work at this cave , it ’s possible that archaeologists might be able to throw off into how this mysterious species lived .
“ These are exciting find that open a unexampled chapter of our rich history . Knowing Vanguard cave well , I often wondered what might dwell behind the moxie . Now we are start to get a first glimpse , ” Dr John Cortes , Gibraltar ’s Minister for the Environment , Sustainability , Climate Change , and Education , said in astatement .
