The Cave with Bones - A discovery of over 35.000 million years
In Caraș-Severin county, close to the town of Anina, hidden by the karst relief of the Minișului Valley, there is a place that was untouched for thousands of years. A fragment from prehistoric times became known to the general public when excavations were carried out in the area, revealing the impossible. It is about the Cave of Bones, a name that has caused controversy worldwide by its mere existence.
Researchers from all over the world, after decades of research and study of prehistoric human remains, agreed on the age of modern man on the surface of the European continent. Despite what is known, specialists from Romania but also those from Oxford, Australia or Bristol were amazed by the new discoveries in the Cave of Bones, where human remains over 35,000 years old were revealed.
Researchers from all over the world, after decades of research and study of prehistoric human remains, agreed on the age of modern man on the surface of the European continent. Despite what is known, specialists from Romania but also those from Oxford, Australia or Bristol were amazed by the new discoveries in the Cave of Bones, where human remains over 35,000 years old were revealed.
Of unexpected dimensions, the Cave of Bones consists of a system of 12 interior galleries, which are said to have been dug into the karst system of the Minișului Valley. The total size reaches half a hectare, according to its analysis carried out shortly after its discovery on February 16, 2002. The cave was discovered by three amateur speleologists from Timisoara, Adrian Bilgăr, Ştefan Milota and Laurenţiu Sarcina.
An unexpected discovery
Initially, speleologists thought the bones discovered were actually remains of several species of animals, including the cave bear, small carnivores or herbivores. Among all this, something much more important than a simple fossil was also discovered: a mandible of Homo Sapiens presenting five molars. At first, the discovery seemed trivial, but carbon dating proved its impressive age.
Another series of intense research then followed to determine with precision whether it was indeed properly dated. The mandible was sent to Cluj, after which it was sent to the United States, together with the remains discovered in the cave, to be researched by a well-known specialist in bone anthropology, Erik Trinkaus.
The mandible was named Bones 1 because in 2003 and 2005 other human bones were also discovered in the cave near Anina, which were called Bones 2 and Bones 3.
Following research carried out over a longer period of time, Bone 1 was placed by American specialists as "the oldest human fossil in Europe".
Another series of intense research then followed to determine with precision whether it was indeed properly dated. The mandible was sent to Cluj, after which it was sent to the United States, together with the remains discovered in the cave, to be researched by a well-known specialist in bone anthropology, Erik Trinkaus.
The mandible was named Bones 1 because in 2003 and 2005 other human bones were also discovered in the cave near Anina, which were called Bones 2 and Bones 3.
Following research carried out over a longer period of time, Bone 1 was placed by American specialists as "the oldest human fossil in Europe".
A fragment of Prehistory
Among the bones discovered, the mandible of Homo Sapiens had very similar similarities to the elements found in the Neanderthal man, more than tens of thousands of years ago. Sets of genetic analyzes were performed on the DNAs of both human species, concluding that they had interbred.
These discoveries represented a world first for the scientific world. Until that very moment, it was believed that these species, even if they lived in the same period of time, had never interbred.
These discoveries represented a world first for the scientific world. Until that very moment, it was believed that these species, even if they lived in the same period of time, had never interbred.
Source Text & Photo: https://editiadedimineata.ro/descopera-romania-pestera-cu-oase-si-cei-35-000-de-ani-de-istorie/, https://nutcrackerman.com/2018/06/04/an-interesting-case-of-hybrid-morphology-and-genome-the-oase-1-jaw/, https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/timisoara/foto-cel-mai-vechi-homo-sapiens-din-europa-1599407.html