[Article déjà publié le 25 juillet 2024]
This skeleton, the most complete ever, has been trapped in the rock for about 150,000 years, making its study complex. A team of researchers from the universities of Florence and Rome, in collaboration with the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), recently published their work in Quaternary Science Reviews. Unable to get this exceptional skeleton out of its geological prison, they used innovative and portable technologies to analyze it, revealing new details on this isolated Neanderthal population.
An inaccessible paleontological treasure
Discovered in 1993 in the caves of Lamalunga, in southern Italy, the man of Altamura constitutes a single Neanderthal skeleton. This fossil is distinguished by its unusual orientation, found its head down, and its appearance covered with calcitic concretions. It is colloquially called “cave popcorn”. These concretions, trained over the millennia, certainly immediately captured the researchers.
But they also made the skeleton inextricably linked to the surrounding rock. The fusion of bones with the rock transformed the fossil into a real archaeological puzzle. This made any attempted excavation extremely difficult and delicate.
The researchers point out that the unique conditions and the location of the skeleton pose major challenges for its extraction and preservation ex-Situ. Calcitical concretions, combined with the position of the fossil in the cave, complicate not only its access, but also its conservation once removed from its natural environment. The concretions, by solidifying around the skeleton, acted as a protective gangue. Nevertheless, they also fixed the fossil irrevocably to its geological context. Any displacement could irreparably damage these precious vestiges.
Skeleton of Altamura (above) and wildlife remains (below, including a cervid skull in the foreground), presenting the same type of coraloid concretions in the shape of popcorn. © C. Buzi et al., 2024
Despite these obstacles, fragments of the scapula were recovered in 2015 thanks to micro-excavation techniques. These fragments allowed DNA analysis confirming the neanderthal identity of the man of Altamura. This discovery not only validated the scientific importance of this skeleton, but also highlighted the persistent challenges faced by researchers in the study of fossils deeply rooted in their geological context.
Advanced technologies at the research service in Altamura
Faced with the impossibility of extracting the skeleton of the man from Altamura, the researchers therefore had to show innovation. They used advanced portable technologies. Among them are high -resolution endoscopic cameras. They can capture detailed images through small openings. In addition to miniature laser scanners allow you to create precise 3D models of the fossil. By inserting these devices through cracks in the rock, scientists were able to examine the skeleton on site without disturbing its delicate environment.
Geographical location of the Lamalunga cave in southern Italy. © C. Buzi et al., 2024
The high resolution of the bones have revealed essential anatomical details. At the same time, the three -dimensional digital reconstructions of the skeleton facilitated an in -depth morphological analysis. The researchers were able to determine that the man of Altamura was an adult of Neanderthal with common dental pathologies. In other words he has lost several teeth, probably due to infections or cavities.
Experts believe that this individual probably died after falling into a chasm. He had been stuck in a crevasse since – and will certainly remain there forever. At least until the emergence of futuristic techniques that can solve this archaeological puzzle. However, it offers a unique and exceptional snapshot of the evolution of Neanderthals in this region.
An isolated Neanderthal population
One of the most significant discoveries remains the digital reconstruction of the skull of the man of Altamura. This analysis revealed unprecedented morphological characteristics in classical Neanderthals. Indeed, the skull has similarities with an older hominid discovered in Sima de los Huesos, in Spain. The latter dates from 430,000 years. Sima de Los Huesos, located in the Sierra de Atapuerca, has delivered a large amount of ancient human fossils, including some of the oldest ancestors of the Neanderthals. They have archaic features as a robust bone structure. This suggests an evolutionary continuity between these first hominids and the classic Neanderthals.
The analyzes of the Sima of Los Huesos fossils also revealed clues to the genetics and social behavior of these ancient populations. In addition, fossils have signs of pathologies and trauma, providing valuable information on living conditions and the challenges that these populations were confronted.
Digital modeling of the humerus and the rear of the skull. © C. Buzi et al., 2024
These archaic features suggest that the man of Altamura belonged to a population of isolated Neanderthals in Italy. They would have preserved certain primitive characteristics longer than their fellows in Eurasia. These traits suggest that this Italian Neanderthal population has followed a unique evolutionary trajectory. She developed distinct local adaptations.
The comparisons of the Spanish and Italian fossils then make it possible to better understand the variations and adaptations within the Neanderthal populations. They highlight the complexity of their evolution and their geographic dispersion and the importance of the study of isolated Neanderthal populations.
Source: Costantino Buzi et al., “Virtual Paleoanthropology in Karstic around. The Challenging Case of the Neanderthal Skeleton from Altamura (Southern Italy) ”, 2024, Quaternary Science Reviews
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