Remains of nine Neanderthals found in cave south of Rome

Source: The Guardian

Remains of nine Neanderthals found in cave south of Rome

Italian archaeologists believe most of Neanderthals were killed by hyenas then dragged back to den

Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo
@lorenzo_tondo
Sat 8 May 2021 15.19 BST

Italian archaeologists have unearthed the bones of nine Neanderthals who were allegedly hunted and mauled by hyenas in their den about 100km south-east of Rome.

Scientists from the Archaeological Superintendency of Latina and the University of Tor Vergata in Rome said the remains belong to seven adult males and one female, while another are those of a young boy.

Experts believe the individuals lived in different time periods. Some bones could be as old as 50,000 to 68,000 years, whereas the most ancient remains are believed to be 100,000 years old.

The Neanderthal remains, which include skullcaps and broken jawbones, were found in the Guattari cave, which had already gained notoriety for the presence of fossils of these distant human cousins, which were found by chance in 1939. Since then, no further human remains had been uncovered in Guattari.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/may/08/remains-of-nine-neanderthals-found-in-cave-south-of-rome

Alternate link: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/remains-of-nine-neanderthals-found-in-cave-south-of-rome/ar-BB1gvt3S