act as a final stronghold against the rapid expanding upon of mod humans ( Homo sapiens ) , theIberian Peninsula(now containing Spain , Portugal , and a small area of Southern France ) was believed to be the final site Neanderthals made their home before occupation from humans . By around 37,000 - 30,000 years ago , all other boorish universe had disappeared from the respite of Europe .
When the Iberian Peninsula was finally overflow byHomo sapiens , this was claimed to be the ultimate blow for Neanderthals and the ancient hominid species was no more . However , new enquiry published inPNASupsets this model by suggesting that modernistic humans attain the Iberian Peninsula earlier than antecedently think .
" I ’ve been dig at Picareiro for 25 years and just when you take off to call up it might be done make up its secrets , a raw surprisal gets excavate , " lead author Jonathan Haws , a professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Louisville , said in thepress handout . " Every few years something singular turn up and we keep digging . "
Stone cock like blades and bit , likely used in preparation and hunt , were find in the Lapa do Picareiro cave , Portugal , suggestingHomo sapienshad go under in the sphere 41,000 - 38,000 year ago , around 5,000 class earlier than previously think . Not only does this vary our intellect of how apace modern humans spread throughout Europe but it also suggests an overlap of potentially thousands of years betweenHomo sapiensand Neanderthals .
Prior to this discovery , researchers had already find awealth of archaeologic artefact , including animal bones , attack ash , and pearl / racing shell fragment .
“ advanced human being may have encountered a few remnant Neanderthal grouping but it come out that most of Iberia to the south of the Ebro was already depopulated , ” say the authors .
Cold , dry periods of extremely low pee supply may have also depleted many of the Neanderthal universe , allowing for the dispersal of modern humans , who belike avoided the desiccated region of Iberia and followed river drainage as they spread throughout the Peninsula , occupy the nation left by Neanderthals .
Even though it is probable that advanced humans last in nigh law of proximity to Neanderthals , the authors put forward there is still no evidence the two metal money interacted . In fact , the increased rivalry for the same resources may have take to the Neanderthals ’ ruin .
As the newspaper state : “ The presence of modern humans overlapping in time lends stick out to competitive exclusion as an account for Neanderthal extinguishing . "
