A group of archaeological scientists conducted a study of the monuments of the Late and Middle Neolithic period using the latest technology of radiocarbon dating. Experts have concluded that Neanderthals could have existed for about 6-8 thousand years longer than it is generally believed, as TASS informs.
Recently, a group of experts carried out a large-scale study of monuments located on the territory of Russia, which date back to the Middle and Late Paleolithic. This information was reported within the framework of the third conference of young archaeologists, held at the St. Petersburg Institute of History and Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IIMK RAS).
The results of the research work carried out showed that the period of existence of the Neanderthals could last 6-8 thousand years longer than the known one, and the last representatives of this species could have disappeared 32-34 thousand years ago.
According to Leonid Veshnyatsky, Doctor of Historical Sciences, in the course of the experiment, the latest technology of radiocarbon dating was used, which was applied to the monuments of the Paleolithic era located in the European part of Russia. One of these objects was the settlement of Betovo, located in the Bryansk region. According to a specialist, the data obtained from this place is a piece of information that suggested that the history of the Neanderthals could be approximately 6-8 thousand years longer, and not fit into the official period of existence previously established by scientists.
According to publications made by the staff of the Oxford research laboratories in 2014, the first attempts to use the method of radiocarbon dating were made during this period. They were applied to monuments dating back to the historical period of the life of the Neanderthals, and found that the latest evidence of the presence of this species is about 40 thousand years old.
Maxim Matyushin
Promotional video: