Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – Scientists have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the Lapedo Child, a prehistoric skeleton exhibiting both Neanderthal and human characteristics. Utilizing an advanced radiocarbon dating technique, researchers have accurately determined its age, prompting a reevaluation of early human history.
Background: Overview of the rockshelter from the northwest in December 1998, at the time of discovery. Image credit: J.Z. Front: Reconstruction of the lapedo child. Still shot from YouTube – Image compilation by AncientPages.com
In a recent study, the research team applied this cutting-edge dating method to establish a more precise age for the Lapedo Child. Discovered in 1998 at the Lagar Velho rock shelter in Portugal’s Leiria region, this nearly complete skeleton was found stained red—suggesting it may have been wrapped in painted animal skin prior to burial. The remains of this child, aged between 4 and 5 years old at death, initially caused excitement due to their blend of human and Neanderthal features.
The grave. Artist credit: (A) J.Z. and (B) G. Casella.
Upon discovery, scientists observed that certain traits, such as body proportions and jawbone structure, were reminiscent of Neanderthals. This led researchers to propose that the child descended from populations where interbreeding between humans and Neanderthals occurred—a hypothesis considered radical at the time but later supported by genetic advancements confirming such populations existed. Today’s humans still carry traces of Neanderthal DNA.
Poor bone preservation previously hindered efforts to date the child’s remains; small roots had infiltrated them, leading to contamination from plants or other sources that rendered traditional carbon dating ineffective. Questions about the child’s cultural ties and genetic background remained unresolved without an accurate date.
Scientists faced difficulties in dating the Lapedo child’s remains, leaving the skeleton’s age uncertain. However, charcoal and animal bones near the skeleton were dated between 27,700 and 29,700 years ago. To pinpoint the child’s age more accurately, researchers from the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit used compound-specific radiocarbon dating. This advanced technique focuses on hydroxyproline, an amino acid unique to bone collagen, ensuring that only carbon directly from the bone is measured, thus avoiding contamination common in conventional methods.
The charcoal in the grave.
(A) Scattered in the sediment that covered the bones (fourth day of excavation, 20 December 1998). (B) Emerging along the external edge of the burial pit (fifth day of excavation, 21 December 1998). (C) Scattered at the base of the burial pit, along the right child’s right leg, once the skeleton had been fully exposed (11th day of excavation, 27 December 1998). (D) Under the child’s right tibia, where the radiocarbon-dated charcoal sample was collected. Image credits: J.Z. and C.D. Science Advances https://doi.org/adp5769
Lead researcher Bethan Linscott highlighted that only a small amount of collagen could be extracted from the child’s bones and contamination issues rendered earlier dates unreliable. By isolating hydroxyproline, scientists determined that the child lived between 27,780 and 28,850 years ago during the Gravettian period—a time noted for sophisticated toolmaking and iconic Venus figurines.
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At its discovery nearly a decade before Neanderthal DNA sequencing revealed interbreeding with our ancestors was possible. It was astonishing that this child lived long after Neanderthals had vanished tens of thousands of years prior!
Bethan Linscott expressed how successfully dating these remains felt like restoring part of their story—a profound privilege indeed. She reflected on how this discovery transcended mere skeletal remains; it represented a young child’s grave, sparking curiosity about their life experiences within those brief four years on Earth.
The study was published in the journal Science Advances
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
