China fossils reveal physical features of Denisovan ancestors

Researchers have used paleoproteomics to identify fossil fragments from the Xujiayao archaeological site in northern China as belonging to the Denisovans, an extinct human species. The study, published in the journal Nature, analyzed 20 fossils—including skull, jaw, and dental remains—originally excavated between 1976 and 1979.

By examining ancient proteins, which can survive longer than DNA, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences were able to confirm the lineage of these remains, which were previously classified under different names such as Homo juluensis. The findings provide a clearer anatomical picture of Denisovans, who lived across Asia between 300,000 and 40,000 years ago.

Reconstructions suggest the Denisovans possessed distinct facial features, including low and broad skulls with sides that ran straight back, large and prominent brow ridges, and relatively flat cheekbones. Their jaw did not jut out significantly compared to the facial plane. These physical traits show a combination of characteristics, with cranial thickness resembling Homo erectus and inner ear structures similar to Neanderthals.