Generate QR code
Open Access
Subscription Access
The Peopling of Mongolia by Homo sapiens denisovan
https://doi.org/10.17746/1563-0110.2025.53.2.003-024
Abstract
The article continues a series of publications in this journal, addressing the peopling of Iran, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan by H. s. denisovan. Around 400 ka BP, two large populations branched off from the ancestral taxon H. heidelbergensis in the Levant. One of them migrated to Europe, where its hybridization with natives gave rise to a new taxon H. s. neanderthalensis 200–150 ka BP. The other, having passed through the Iranian Highland, settled in Central Asia, where its mixture with local Central Asiatic H. erectus, natural and sexual selection, and adaptation to various environments in the vast Central Asiatic region 200–150 ka BP resulted in the emergence of a morphologically and genetically distinct taxon, whose informal name is H. s. denisovan.
Keywords
Supporting agencies: This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project No. 25-18-00775 “Complex Chronology of the Archaeological Sites of the Altai (Stone Age–Middle Ages)”.
About the Author
A. P. Derevianko
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences; Altai State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Derevianko A.P., Professor, Scientifi c Director; Laboratory Head
Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090; Pr. Lenina 61, Barnaul, 656049
References
1. Andrews R.Ch., Osborn H.F. 1926 On the Trail of Ancient Man: A Narrative of the Field Work of the Central Asiatic Expeditions. New York, London: Garden City Publication Co.
2. Archaeological Studies Carried out by the Joint Russian-Mongolian-American Expedition in Mongolia in 1995. 1996 A.P. Derevianko, J.W. Olsen, D. Tseveendorj, V.T. Petrin, A.N. Zenin, A.I. Krivoshapkin, R.W. Reeves, E.V. Devyatkin, V.P. Mylnikov. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN. (In Russian, Mongolian, and English).
3. Archaeological Studies Carried out by the Joint Russian-Mongolian-American Expedition in Mongolia in 1996. 1998 A.P. Derevianko, J.W. Olsen, D. Tseveendorj, V.T. Petrin, A.N. Zenin, S.V. Nikolaev, V.P. Mylnikov, A.I. Krivoshapkin, R.W. Reeves, B. Gunchinsuren, Y. Tserendagva. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN.
4. Archaeological Studies Carried out by the Joint Russian-Mongolian-American Expedition in Mongolia in 1997–1998. 2000 A.P. Derevianko, J.W. Olsen, D. Tseveendorj, V.T. Petrin, S.A. Gladyshev, A.N. Zenin, V.P. Mylnikov, A.I. Krivoshapkin, R.W. Reeves, P.J. Brantingham, B. Gunchinsuren, Y. Tserendagva. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN.
5. Astashkin A.V., Derevianko A.P., Milov A.D., Nikolaev S.V., Petrin V.T., Tsvetkov Y.D. 1993 EPR-datirovaniye: Sravneniye dannykh po datirovaniyu kostnykh ostatkov na arkheologicheskom pamyatnike Orkhon-7 (Mongoliya) metodom EPR i 14C. In Altaica, iss. 3. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN, pp. 9–15.
6. Bolikhovskaya N.S., Derevyanko A.P., Shunkov M.V. 2006 The fossil palynological flora, geological age, and climatic stratigraphy of the earliest deposits of the Karama site (Early Paleolithic, Altai Mountains). Paleontological Journal, vol. 40, sup. 5: 5558–5566.
7. Coppens Y., Tseveendorj D., Demeter F., Turbat T., Giscard P.-H. 2008 Discovery of the archaic Homo sapiens skullcap in Northeast Mongolia. Comptes Rendus Palevol, No. 7: 51–60.
8. Derevianko A.P. 2014 Bifasialnaya industriya v Vostochnoy i Yugo-Vostochnoy Azii. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN.
9. Derevianko A.P. 2017 Three Global Human Migrations in Eurasia. Vol. II: The Original Peopling of Northern, Central and Western Central Asia. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN. (In Russian and English).
10. Derevianko A.P. 2019 Three Global Human Migrations in Eurasia. Vol. IV: The Acheulean and Bifacial Lithic Industries in China, Korea, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and in the Caucasus. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN. (In Russian and English).
11. Derevianko A.P. 2024 The peopling of Tajikistan by Homo sapiens denisovan. Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia, vol. 52 (4): 3–28. (In Russian and English).
12. Derevianko A.P. 2025 The peopling of Uzbekistan by Homo sapiens denisovan. Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia, vol. 53 (1): 3–24. (In Russian and English).
13. Derevianko A.P., Devyatkin E.V., Simakova A.N., Olsen J.W., Kulikov O.A., Gnibidenko Z.N. 2000 Peshchera Tsagan-Agui (Mongoliya): Stratigrafiya pleistotsena, arkheologiya, paleoekologiya. Stratigrafi ya. Geologicheskaya korrelyatsiya, vol. 8 (1): 90–105.
14. Derevianko A.P., Kandyba A.V., Petrin V.T. 2010 The Paleolithic of Orkhon. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN. (Abstract in English).
15. Derevianko A.P., Krivoshapkin A.I., Larichev V.E., Petrin V.T. 2001 Paleolit vostochnykh predgoriy Arts-Bogdo (Yuzhnaya Gobi). Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN.
16. Derevianko A.P., Krivoshapkin A.I., Olsen J.W. 2005 Peshchera Tsagan-Agui (Mongoliya). In Paleoliticheskiye kultury Zabaikalya i Mongolii (noviye pamyatniki, metody, gipotezy). Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN, pp. 5–16.
17. Derevianko A.P., Nikolaev S.V., Petrin V.T. 1992 Geologiya, stratigrafiya, paleogeografiya paleolita Yuzhnogo Khangaya. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN.
18. Derevianko A.P., Olsen J.W., Tseveendorj D., Krivoshapkin A.I., Petrin V.T., Brantingham P.J. 2000a The stratifi ed cave site of Tsagaan Agui in the Gobi Altai (Mongolia). Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia, No. 1: 23–36. (In Russian and English).
19. Derevianko A.P., Olsen J.W., Tseveendorj D., Petrin V.T., Krivoshapkin A.I., Gunchinsuren B. 2000b Issledovaniye peshchery Tsagan-Agui sovmestnoy Rossiysko-mongolsko-amerikanskoy ekspeditsiyey v 2000 godu. In Problemy arkheologii, etnografii i antropologii Sibiri i sopredelnykh territoriy, vol. VI. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN, pp. 60–63.
20. Derevianko A.P., Petrin V.T. 1987 Kompleks kamennoy industrii s yuzhnogo fasa Mongolskogo Altaya. In Arkheologiya, etnografiya i antropologiya Mongolii. Novosibirsk: Nauka, pp. 5–27.
21. Derevianko A.P., Petrin V.T. 1990 Svoyeobraznaya kamennaya industriya s severnogo poberezhya Doliny ozer. In Arkheologicheskiye, etnograficheskiye i antropologicheskyie issledovaniya v Mongolii. Novosibirsk: Nauka, pp. 3–39.
22. Derevianko A.P., Petrin V.T. 1995 Issledovaniya peshchernogo kompleksa Tsagan-Agui na yuzhnom fase Gobiyskogo Altaya v Mongolii. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN.
23. Derevianko A.P., Petrin V.T., Krivoshapkin A.I. 1998 Varianty levalluazskogo rekurrentnogo metoda dlya polucheniya treugolnykh skolov v paleoliticheskikh kompleksakh severo-vostochnogo fasa Arts-Bogdo (Yuzhnaya Mongoliya). In Paleoekologiya pleistotsena i kultury kamennogo veka Severnoy Azii i sopredelnykh territoriy: Materialy Mezhdunar. simp., vol. 2. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN, pp. 256–264.
24. Derevianko A.P., Shunkov M.V. 2005 The Karama Lower Paleolithic site in the Altai: Initial results. Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia, No. 3: 52–69. (In Russian and English).
25. Derevianko A.P., Tseveendorj D., Gladyshev S.A., Kolomiets V.L., Lbova L.V., Rybin E.P., Tserendagva J., Erdene-Ochir N. 2007 Geomorfologicheskiye i stratigrafi cheskiye issledovaniya v padi Salkhit (Mongoliya). In Problemy arkheologii, etnografii, antropologii Sibiri i sopredelnykh territoriy, vol. XIII. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN, pp. 89–93.
26. Derevianko A.P., Zenin A.N., Olsen J.W., Tseveendorj D., Petrin V.T. 2002 Paleolithic Assemblages from Flint Valley (Gobi Altai). Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN. (In Russian and English). (The Stone Age of Mongolia).
27. Devièse T., Massilani D., Yi Seonbok, Comeskey D., Nagel S., Nickel B., Ribechini E., Lee J., Tseveendorj D., Gunchinsuren B., Meyer M., Pääbo S., Higham T. 2019 Compound-specifi c radiocarbon dating and mitochondrial DNA analysis of the Pleistocene hominin from Salkhit, Mongolia. Natural Communities, vol. 10, Art. No. 274.
28. Fairservis W.A. 1993 Archaeology of the Southern Gobi of Mongolia. Durham: Carolina Acad. Press. (Center of Civilization Ser.).
29. Gnibidenko Z.N. 1998 O paleomagnitnykh issledovaniyakh pleistotsenovykh otlozheniy peshchery Tsagan-Agui. In Archaeological Studies Carried out by the Joint Russian-MongolianAmerican Expedition in Mongolia in 1996. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN, pp. 312–314.
30. Jacobs Z., Li B., Shunkov M.V., Kozlikin M.B., Bolikhovskaya N.S., Agadjanian A.K., Uliyanov V.A., Vasiliev S.K., O’Gorman K., Derevianko A.P., Roberts R.G. 2019 Timing of archaic hominin occupation of Denisova Cave in southern Siberia. Nature, vol. 565: 594–599.
31. Kaifu Y., Fujita M. 2012 Fossil record of early modern humans in East Asia. Quaternary International, vol. 248: 2–11.
32. Kamenny vek Mongolii: Paleolit i neolit Mongolskogo Altaya. 1990 A.P. Derevianko, D. Dorj, R.S. Vasilievskiy, V.E. Larichev, V.T. Petrin, V.T. Devyatkin, E.M. Malaeva. Novosibirsk: Nauka.
33. Kamenny vek Mongolii: Paleolit i neolit severnogo poberezhya Doliny ozer. 2000 A.P. Derevianko, V.T. Petrin, D. Tseveendorj, V.T. Devyatkin, V.E. Larichev, R.S. Vasilievskiy, A.N. Zenin, S.A. Gladyshev. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN.
34. Khatsenovich A.M. 2018 Ranniye etapy verkhnego paleolita Severnoy Mongolii: Cand. Sc. (History) Dissertation. Novosibirsk.
35. Larichev V.E. 1969 Paleolit Severnoy, Tsentralnoy i Vostochnoy Azii. Pt. 1: Aziya i problemy rodiny cheloveka (istoriya idey i issledovaniy). Novosibirsk: Nauka.
36. Okladnikov A.P. 1981 Paleolit Tsentralnoy Azii: Moiltyn Am (Mongoliya). Novosibirsk: Nauka.
37. Okladnikov A.P. 1986 Paleolit Mongolii. Novosibirsk: Nauka.
38. Okladnikov A.P., Abramova Z.A. 1994 Paleolit Tsentralnoy Azii – Mongolii. St. Petersburg: Nauka.
39. Okladnikov A.P., Larichev V.E. 1963 Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Mongolii v 1961– 1962 gg.: (Kratkiye itogi raboty Sovetsko-mongolskoy ekspeditsii po izucheniyu kamennogo veka Tsentralnoy Azii). Izvestiya SO AN SSSR. Ser. obshchestv. nauk, No. 1 (1): 78–89.
40. Ranov V.A. 1988 Kamenniy vek Yuzhnogo Tadzhikistana i Pamira: D. Sc. (History) Dissertation. Novosibirsk.
41. Ranov V.A. 1992a Genezis i periodizatsiya pamyatnikov kamennogo veka v Tadzhikistane. In Problemy istorii i kultury tadzhikskogo naroda. Dushanbe: Hisor, pp. 28–48.
42. Ranov V.A. 1992b Drevneishiye stoyanki paleolita na territorii SSSR. Rossiyskaya arkheologiya, No. 2: 81–95.
43. Ranov V.A., Dodonov A.E., Lomov S.P., Pakhomov M.M., Penkov A.V. 1987 Kuldara – noviy nizhnepaleoliticheskiy pamyatnik Yuzhnogo Tadzhikistana. Byulleten Komissii po izucheniyu chetvertichnogo perioda, No. 56: 65–75.
44. Ranov V.A., Lomov S.P. 2001 Paleoklimat i stratigrafiya lessovogo paleolita Tadzhikistana i Kitaya. In Problemy drevney i srednevekovoy istorii i kultury Tsentralnoy Azii. Dushanbe: [s.n.], pp. 33–53.
45. Rybin E.P. 2020 Regionalnaya variabelnost kamennykh industriy nachala verkhnego paleolita v Yuzhnoy Sibiri i vostochnoy chasti Tsentralnoy Azii: D. Sc. (History) Dissertation. Novosibirsk.
46. Stoyanka rannego paleolita Karama na Altaye. 2005 A.P. Derevianko, M.V. Shunkov, N.S. Bolikhovskaya, V.S. Zykin, V.S. Zykina, N.A. Kulik, V.A. Ulyanov, K.A. Chirkin. Novosibirsk: Izd. IAET SO RAN.
47. Tseveendorj D., Batbold N., Amgalantugs T. 2006 Nen ertniy mongol khun buyuu “Mongolanthropus”. Ulaan-Baatar. (In Mongolian). (Studia Archaeologica; vol. 3).
48. Tseveendorj D., Batbold N., Amgalantugs T. 2007 Mongolanthropus was discovered in Mongolia. Studia Archaeologica. Institute of Archaeology. Academy of Sciences of Mongolia: 5–20.
Review
For citations:
Derevianko A.P. The Peopling of Mongolia by Homo sapiens denisovan. Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia. 2025;53(2):3-24. https://doi.org/10.17746/1563-0110.2025.53.2.003-024
Views:
63
Email this article 