This article reports new scientific research into a Neanderthal-Human hybrid child.

Key excepts from the short article:

A recent study has used advanced radiocarbon dating to present a more precise age for the Lapedo Child, a significant archaeological find that reshaped our perception of the interaction between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals.

MAIN CONCLUSIONS The remains show both Neanderthal and modern human traits, and they have been dated to about 28,000 years ago, upending the earlier date range.

The dating of the Lapedo Child thus expands the debate on the extent and duration of human-Neanderthal interactions.

Another striking conclusion from the study is the idea that the site was abandoned following the child’s burial. The child’s death might have led to the site being marked as taboo.

GENETIC DETAILS Genetic evidence suggests interbreeding began at least 49,000 years ago and continued for roughly 7,000 years. However, if the Lapedo Child, a hybrid individual, lived around 28,000 years ago, then questions arise as to whether genetic exchanges lasted longer than previously thought or whether hybrid traits appeared in later generations.

NEANDERTHAL BURIAL DETAILS They studied bones from a young rabbit, found atop the child’s remains, red deer bones located near the child’s shoulder, and charcoal beneath the legs, thought to be remnants of a ritual fire.

The results revealed that while the rabbit bones were contemporaneous with the child, the red deer bones and charcoal were significantly older, indicating that they were not placed intentionally as part of a burial offering.

Instead, the rabbit skeleton is believed to have been part of a symbolic offering before the grave was sealed, as it bears a red ocher pigment similar to that of the burial shroud.