Ancient Human DNA Discovered in Iberian Caves Rewrites Prehistoric Narratives

Ekhbary News Agency | 2024-05-12

A coordinated international research team, based in Cáceres, Spain, has achieved a remarkable scientific feat: recovering human DNA over 2,000 years old. This ancient genetic material was extracted from cave surfaces in Spain and Portugal, specifically from rock art sites. This breakthrough opens unprecedented avenues for reconstructing the history of human groups during prehistoric eras. It appears these caves hold more secrets than previously imagined.

Unveiling Genetic Material from Rock Art

Hipólito Collado directed this extensive research, involving teams from Spain, Portugal, the UK, Germany, and China. Published in "Nature Communications," the findings demonstrate that painted rock surfaces can preserve human genetic remains for millennia. This work forms part of the "First Art" project, which originated from studies on rock art in Malpartida de Cáceres's Maltravieso cave, home to some of Europe's oldest paintings.

New Horizons in Archaeogenetics

Collaborating with researchers from Germany's Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the team expanded its focus to include ancient DNA analysis. Scientists analyzed 24 rock art panels across eleven caves, employing advanced techniques for genetic material extraction and sequencing. They detected ancient human DNA not only on pigmented surfaces in Portugal's Escoural cave but also in unpainted areas within it and in Spain's Covarrón cave. These are the first indications that cave walls can act as genuine "biological archives" of past human activity, marking a paradigm shift in archaeogenetics. Among the samples, three belonged to women and one to a man, adding precise details about the inhabitants of those ancient times.