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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains
Published on: November 30, 2021
Middle Paleolithic human remains from the Gruta da Oliveira (Torres Novas), Portugal
Erik Trinkaus1, Julia Maki, João Zilhão
1Department of Anthropology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. trinkaus@artsci.wustl.edu
Abstract:
Ongoing excavations in the Middle Paleolithic levels at the Gruta da Oliveira, Portugal have yielded four fragmentary human remains, a manual phalanx and an ulna from levels 9 and 10, and a humerus and a tibia from levels 18 and 19. The first two remains date to approximately 39 ka 14C BP ( approximately 43.5 ka cal BP), whereas the latter two derive from earlier in oxygen isotope stage 3. The preserved portions of the phalanx, humerus, and tibia align them morphologically with the Neandertals. In addition, the Oliveira 4 tibial diaphysis shows evidence of carnivore (probably canid) gnawing.
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