New archaeological research in the southern province of Hatay revealed that Neanderthals and early modern humans shared a range of cultural traditions nearly 59,000 years ago, offering fresh evidence of interaction between the two human species.
The findings come from excavations at Üçağızlı II Cave in the Samandağ district, where researchers uncovered more than 19,000 stone tools, animal remains and marine shells believed to have been used as personal ornaments.
The international research team, led by Professor İsmail Baykara of Gaziantep University’s Department of Archaeology, concluded that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens living in or using the cave followed similar hunting strategies, produced comparable stone tools and collected the same species of marine shells, Columbella rustica, for symbolic purposes.
According to the researchers, the discoveries indicate that the two human groups were connected not only through possible biological contact but also through the exchange of knowledge and shared cultural practices.
Archaeological evidence suggests Neanderthals occupied the cave between 77,000 and 59,000 years ago, while modern humans lived there from about 59,000 to 47,000 years ago. The overlapping transition period points to cultural continuity as modern humans gradually replaced Neanderthal populations in the region.
The study adds to growing evidence that Neanderthals, which became extinct around 40,000 years ago, shared more behavioral similarities with modern humans than previously believed. The findings have also drawn international attention, with the discovery featured by several global media outlets, including CNN International.
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“Our findings show that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens did not simply share the same landscape,” said Baykara. “The continuity in hunting practices and the transport of marine shells is consistent with the idea that these communities interacted and shared cultural traditions. Different human species displayed common behaviors in the same places over thousands of years.”
