Ancient Turkish cave hints at cultural kinship between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens
Excavations at the Üçağızlı II cave in southern Turkey find Neanderthals and Homo sapiens sharing cultural habits, including similar Mousterian tools, hunting practices, and the transport of Columbella rustica shells found in both species’ layers, suggesting intergroup interaction and long‑standing cultural continuity despite a major migration period; Neanderthals inhabited the site 77,000–59,000 years ago, followed by Homo sapiens 59,000–47,000 years ago, with researchers noting a more complex, locally rooted Mousterian tradition than previously thought.