Although a rich record of Pleistocene human-associated archaeological assemblages exists, the sca... more Although a rich record of Pleistocene human-associated archaeological assemblages exists, the scarcity of hominin fossils often impedes the understanding of which hominins occupied a site. Using targeted enrichment of mitochondrial DNA we show that cave sediments represent a rich source of ancient mammalian DNA that often includes traces of hominin DNA, even at sites and in layers where no hominin remains have been discovered. By automation-assisted screening of numerous sediment samples we detect Neandertal DNA in eight archaeological layers from four caves in Eurasia. In Denisova Cave we retrieved Denisovan DNA in a Middle Pleistocene layer near the bottom of the stratigraphy. Our work opens the possibility to detect the presence of hominin groups at sites and in areas where no skeletal remains are found.
Units 17, 16 and 15, currently being excavated on the terrace, cover the Middle to Upper Palaeoli... more Units 17, 16 and 15, currently being excavated on the terrace, cover the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition at the site of Trou Al'Wesse. These include Late Mousterian layers (Unit 17), an archaeologically sterile unit (Unit 16) that contains fauna that will clarify environmental and climatic changes across the transition, and Aurignacian layers (Unit 15). In addition, the discovery of an Aurignacian endscraper on a large blade in previously unexcavated deposits and an undisturbed cave bear den inside the cave suggests that the cave deposits will contain evidence of Mousterian and Aurignacian occupations untouched by the 19th century excavations of Dupont and Fraipont. This paper presents a preliminary overview of the stratigraphic sequence and chronology on the terrace as well as the lithic and faunal assemblages recovered so far.
To address questions regarding the evolutionary origin, radiation and dispersal of the genus Homo... more To address questions regarding the evolutionary origin, radiation and dispersal of the genus Homo, it is
crucial to be able to place the occurrence of hominin fossils in a high-resolution chronological framework.
The period around 2 Ma (millions of years ago) in eastern Africa is of particular interest as it is at
this time that a more substantial fossil record of the genus Homo is first found. Here we combine
magnetostratigraphy and strontium (Sr) isotope stratigraphy to improve age control on hominin-bearing
upper Burgi (UBU) deposits in Areas 105 and 131 on the Karari Ridge in the eastern Turkana Basin
(Kenya).We identify the base of the Olduvai subchron (bC2n) plus a short isolated interval of consistently
normal polarity that we interpret to be the Pre-Olduvai event. Combined with precession-forced
(w20 kyr [thousands of years]) wetedry climate cycles resolved by Sr isotope ratios, the magnetostratigraphic
data allow us to construct an age model for the UBU deposits. We provide detailed age
constraints for 15 hominin fossils from Area 131, showing that key specimens such as cranium KNM-ER
1470, partial face KNM-ER 62000 and mandibles KNM-ER 1482, KNM-ER 1801, and KNM-ER 1802 can be
constrained between 1.945 0.004 and 2.058 0.034 Ma, and thus older than previously estimated. The
new ages are consistent with a temporal overlap of two species of early Homo that can be distinguished
by their facial morphology. Further, our results show that in this time interval, hominins occurred
throughout the wetedry climate cycles, supporting the hypothesis that the lacustrine Turkana Basin was
a refugium during regionally dry periods. By establishing the observed first appearance datum of a
marine-derived stingray in UBU deposits at 2.058 0.034 Ma, we show that at this time the Turkana
Basin was hydrographically connected to the Indian Ocean, facilitating dispersal of fauna between these
areas. From a biogeographical perspective, we propose that the Indian Ocean coastal strip should be
considered as a possible source area for one or more of the multiple Homo species in the Turkana Basin
from over 2 Ma onwards.
Although a rich record of Pleistocene human-associated archaeological assemblages exists, the sca... more Although a rich record of Pleistocene human-associated archaeological assemblages exists, the scarcity of hominin fossils often impedes the understanding of which hominins occupied a site. Using targeted enrichment of mitochondrial DNA we show that cave sediments represent a rich source of ancient mammalian DNA that often includes traces of hominin DNA, even at sites and in layers where no hominin remains have been discovered. By automation-assisted screening of numerous sediment samples we detect Neandertal DNA in eight archaeological layers from four caves in Eurasia. In Denisova Cave we retrieved Denisovan DNA in a Middle Pleistocene layer near the bottom of the stratigraphy. Our work opens the possibility to detect the presence of hominin groups at sites and in areas where no skeletal remains are found.
Units 17, 16 and 15, currently being excavated on the terrace, cover the Middle to Upper Palaeoli... more Units 17, 16 and 15, currently being excavated on the terrace, cover the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition at the site of Trou Al'Wesse. These include Late Mousterian layers (Unit 17), an archaeologically sterile unit (Unit 16) that contains fauna that will clarify environmental and climatic changes across the transition, and Aurignacian layers (Unit 15). In addition, the discovery of an Aurignacian endscraper on a large blade in previously unexcavated deposits and an undisturbed cave bear den inside the cave suggests that the cave deposits will contain evidence of Mousterian and Aurignacian occupations untouched by the 19th century excavations of Dupont and Fraipont. This paper presents a preliminary overview of the stratigraphic sequence and chronology on the terrace as well as the lithic and faunal assemblages recovered so far.
To address questions regarding the evolutionary origin, radiation and dispersal of the genus Homo... more To address questions regarding the evolutionary origin, radiation and dispersal of the genus Homo, it is
crucial to be able to place the occurrence of hominin fossils in a high-resolution chronological framework.
The period around 2 Ma (millions of years ago) in eastern Africa is of particular interest as it is at
this time that a more substantial fossil record of the genus Homo is first found. Here we combine
magnetostratigraphy and strontium (Sr) isotope stratigraphy to improve age control on hominin-bearing
upper Burgi (UBU) deposits in Areas 105 and 131 on the Karari Ridge in the eastern Turkana Basin
(Kenya).We identify the base of the Olduvai subchron (bC2n) plus a short isolated interval of consistently
normal polarity that we interpret to be the Pre-Olduvai event. Combined with precession-forced
(w20 kyr [thousands of years]) wetedry climate cycles resolved by Sr isotope ratios, the magnetostratigraphic
data allow us to construct an age model for the UBU deposits. We provide detailed age
constraints for 15 hominin fossils from Area 131, showing that key specimens such as cranium KNM-ER
1470, partial face KNM-ER 62000 and mandibles KNM-ER 1482, KNM-ER 1801, and KNM-ER 1802 can be
constrained between 1.945 0.004 and 2.058 0.034 Ma, and thus older than previously estimated. The
new ages are consistent with a temporal overlap of two species of early Homo that can be distinguished
by their facial morphology. Further, our results show that in this time interval, hominins occurred
throughout the wetedry climate cycles, supporting the hypothesis that the lacustrine Turkana Basin was
a refugium during regionally dry periods. By establishing the observed first appearance datum of a
marine-derived stingray in UBU deposits at 2.058 0.034 Ma, we show that at this time the Turkana
Basin was hydrographically connected to the Indian Ocean, facilitating dispersal of fauna between these
areas. From a biogeographical perspective, we propose that the Indian Ocean coastal strip should be
considered as a possible source area for one or more of the multiple Homo species in the Turkana Basin
from over 2 Ma onwards.
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Papers by Monika Knul
crucial to be able to place the occurrence of hominin fossils in a high-resolution chronological framework.
The period around 2 Ma (millions of years ago) in eastern Africa is of particular interest as it is at
this time that a more substantial fossil record of the genus Homo is first found. Here we combine
magnetostratigraphy and strontium (Sr) isotope stratigraphy to improve age control on hominin-bearing
upper Burgi (UBU) deposits in Areas 105 and 131 on the Karari Ridge in the eastern Turkana Basin
(Kenya).We identify the base of the Olduvai subchron (bC2n) plus a short isolated interval of consistently
normal polarity that we interpret to be the Pre-Olduvai event. Combined with precession-forced
(w20 kyr [thousands of years]) wetedry climate cycles resolved by Sr isotope ratios, the magnetostratigraphic
data allow us to construct an age model for the UBU deposits. We provide detailed age
constraints for 15 hominin fossils from Area 131, showing that key specimens such as cranium KNM-ER
1470, partial face KNM-ER 62000 and mandibles KNM-ER 1482, KNM-ER 1801, and KNM-ER 1802 can be
constrained between 1.945 0.004 and 2.058 0.034 Ma, and thus older than previously estimated. The
new ages are consistent with a temporal overlap of two species of early Homo that can be distinguished
by their facial morphology. Further, our results show that in this time interval, hominins occurred
throughout the wetedry climate cycles, supporting the hypothesis that the lacustrine Turkana Basin was
a refugium during regionally dry periods. By establishing the observed first appearance datum of a
marine-derived stingray in UBU deposits at 2.058 0.034 Ma, we show that at this time the Turkana
Basin was hydrographically connected to the Indian Ocean, facilitating dispersal of fauna between these
areas. From a biogeographical perspective, we propose that the Indian Ocean coastal strip should be
considered as a possible source area for one or more of the multiple Homo species in the Turkana Basin
from over 2 Ma onwards.
crucial to be able to place the occurrence of hominin fossils in a high-resolution chronological framework.
The period around 2 Ma (millions of years ago) in eastern Africa is of particular interest as it is at
this time that a more substantial fossil record of the genus Homo is first found. Here we combine
magnetostratigraphy and strontium (Sr) isotope stratigraphy to improve age control on hominin-bearing
upper Burgi (UBU) deposits in Areas 105 and 131 on the Karari Ridge in the eastern Turkana Basin
(Kenya).We identify the base of the Olduvai subchron (bC2n) plus a short isolated interval of consistently
normal polarity that we interpret to be the Pre-Olduvai event. Combined with precession-forced
(w20 kyr [thousands of years]) wetedry climate cycles resolved by Sr isotope ratios, the magnetostratigraphic
data allow us to construct an age model for the UBU deposits. We provide detailed age
constraints for 15 hominin fossils from Area 131, showing that key specimens such as cranium KNM-ER
1470, partial face KNM-ER 62000 and mandibles KNM-ER 1482, KNM-ER 1801, and KNM-ER 1802 can be
constrained between 1.945 0.004 and 2.058 0.034 Ma, and thus older than previously estimated. The
new ages are consistent with a temporal overlap of two species of early Homo that can be distinguished
by their facial morphology. Further, our results show that in this time interval, hominins occurred
throughout the wetedry climate cycles, supporting the hypothesis that the lacustrine Turkana Basin was
a refugium during regionally dry periods. By establishing the observed first appearance datum of a
marine-derived stingray in UBU deposits at 2.058 0.034 Ma, we show that at this time the Turkana
Basin was hydrographically connected to the Indian Ocean, facilitating dispersal of fauna between these
areas. From a biogeographical perspective, we propose that the Indian Ocean coastal strip should be
considered as a possible source area for one or more of the multiple Homo species in the Turkana Basin
from over 2 Ma onwards.