Long-term cultural continuity across the Neanderthal-modern human sequence at Üçağızlı II Cave, northern Levant
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, vol.123, no.29, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 123 Issue: 29
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1073/pnas.2609061123
- Journal Name: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, L'Année philologique, Artic & Antarctic Regions, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, EconLit, EMBASE, Linguistic Bibliography, MathSciNet, MEDLINE, Psycinfo, Public Affairs Index, zbMATH, DIALNET, Zoological Record, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest), Earth, Atmospheric, & Aquatic Science Collection (ProQuest), Engineering Source (EBSCO)
- Karadeniz Technical University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
We present evidence from & Uuml;& ccedil;a & gbreve;& imath;zl & imath; II Cave in the northern Levant, T & uuml;rkiye, documenting the sequential occupation by Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis; 77-59 ka) and modern humans (Homo sapiens; 59-47 ka). The combined evidence of human fossils, faunal and floral remains, lithics, and manuports demonstrates significant behavioral and technological continuity across this taxonomic sequence, characterized by consistent subsistence strategies and the persistent selection and transport of specific nondietary mollusk shells. The lithic assemblages largely align with late Middle Paleolithic traditions, exhibiting characteristic Mousterian variants. The association of diagnostic human fossils with these archaeological remains demonstrates that the shift from Neanderthals to modern humans occurred within a cultural continuum. Our findings suggest shared behaviors between Neanderthals and modern humans that extended beyond subsistence to include nonutilitarian behaviors within the specific geographic and temporal context studied here.