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Publications

Journal Article Historical Article Ppublish

PubMed: 40069367 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02110-y

Evidence from Tinshemet Cave in Israel suggests behavioural uniformity across Homo groups in the Levantine mid-Middle Palaeolithic circa 130,000-80,000 years ago.

Nat Hum Behav 9(5):886-901

Authors: Yossi Zaidner, Marion Prévost, Ruth Shahack-Gross, Lior Weissbrod, Reuven Yeshurun, Naomi Porat, Gilles Guérin, Norbert Mercier, Asmodée Galy, Christophe Pécheyran, Gaëlle Barbotin, Chantal Tribolo, Hélène Valladas, Dustin White, Rhys Timms, Simon Blockley, Amos Frumkin, David Gaitero-Santos, Shimon Ilani, Sapir Ben-Haim, Antonella Pedergnana, Alyssa V Pietraszek, Pedro García, Cristiano Nicosia, Susan Lagle, Oz Varoner, Chen Zeigen, Dafna Langgut, Onn Crouvi, Sarah Borgel, Rachel Sarig, Hila May, Israel Hershkovitz

Affiliations

  • Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Department of Maritime Civilizations, Department of Archaeological Sciences, School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures, Recanati Institute of Maritime Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
  • Israel Antiquities Authority, Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Zinman Institute of Archaeology and School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
  • Geological Survey of Israel, Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, UMR CEA-CNRS-UVSQ 8212 CEA Saclay, Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France.
  • Archéosciences Bordeaux, UMR 6034 CNRS-Université Bordeaux Montaigne, Pessac Cedex, France.
  • Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Pau Cedex, France.
  • Department of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK.
  • Institute of Earth Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Department of Maritime Civilizations, School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
  • Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università di Padova, Padua, Italy.
  • Department of Bible, Archaeology and the Ancient Near East, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
  • Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
  • Steinhardt Museum of Natural History and Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Ancient Environments, Institute of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
  • Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
  • Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
  • Dan David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
  • Department of Oral Biology, Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Abstract

The south Levantine mid-Middle Palaeolithic (mid-MP; ~130-80 thousand years ago (ka)) is remarkable for its exceptional evidence of human morphological variability, with contemporaneous fossils of Homo sapiens and Neanderthal-like hominins. Yet, it remains unclear whether these hominins adhered to discrete behavioural sets or whether regional-scale intergroup interactions could have homogenized mid-MP behaviour. Here we report on our discoveries at Tinshemet Cave, Israel. The site yielded articulated Homo remains in association with rich assemblages of ochre, fauna and stone tools dated to ~100 ka. Viewed from the perspective of other key regional sites of this period, our findings indicate consolidation of a uniform behavioural set in the Levantine mid-MP, consisting of similar lithic technology, an increased reliance on large-game hunting and a range of socially elaborated behaviours, comprising intentional human burial and the use of ochre in burial contexts. We suggest that the development of this behavioural uniformity is due to intensified inter-population interactions and admixture between Homo groups ~130-80 ka.

MeSH

Caves