Denisova Cave

Denisova Cave (Russian: Денисова пещера, romanized: Denísova peshchéra, lit. 'the cave of Denis') is a cave in the Bashelaksky Range of the Altai Mountains in Siberia, Russia. This cave has helped us learn a lot about our early human ancestors.

In 2008, scientists found bone pieces. In 2010, they learned these bones belonged to a new group of early humans called the Denisova hominin, named after the cave.

The cave also has many other ancient objects. Some of these artifacts are about 40,000 years old. Scientists even found the remains of a horse that lived around 32,000 years ago. The cave was a home to different groups of ancient people, including Neanderthals and our own ancestors, Homo sapiens. In 2016, a very old bone needle was found, dating back to 50,000 years ago. This is one of the oldest needles ever discovered.

For a time, the people found in the cave were called "Denisovans". But in June 2025, scientists learned these people actually belong to a group known as Homo longi. So the name H. denisova is no longer used. Denisova Cave remains an important place for learning about the distant past of humans and their relatives.

Description

Denisova Cave is located in Altai Krai, close to the Altai Republic in Russia. It is near a village called Chorny Anui and about 150 km south of the city Barnaul. The cave is about 28 meters above the Anuy River, a smaller river that flows into the larger Ob. It formed in old limestone and has a space of around 270 square meters.

Inside the cave, scientists have found many old bones from animals, both big and small. Some of these animals are no longer alive today, like the cave hyina and the cave lion. Researchers also study pollen found in the cave to learn about past climates.

History

In the 1700s, the cave was home to a hermit named Dyonisiy, and it was named after him.

In the 1970s, scientists found very old items in the cave. They discovered tools made by early humans, including tools made by Neanderthals. They also found beautiful decorations made from bones, teeth, and shells, as well as a tiny needle made from bird bone that is about 50,000 years old. The cave shows that different kinds of early humans lived there at different times.

In 2019, scientists found a very small statue of a cave lion made from a woolly mammoth tusk, which might be the oldest animal statue ever found.

Archaeogenetics

The cave stays very cold, around 0 °C. This helps preserve old DNA from bones found there.

Denisova hominin

Main article: Denisova hominin

Scientists studied the cave and found bones left there between 30,000 and 48,000 years ago. One bone, from a child's finger, was examined. It showed DNA that was different from any known humans before. It was named the Denisova hominin. This showed that Denisovans were related to Neanderthals and had mixed with the ancestors of some modern people.

Neanderthal remains: the Altai Neanderthal

In 2010, a toe bone was found in the cave. Tests showed it belonged to a Neanderthal, not a Denisovan. This was one of the oldest and most complete Neanderthal genomes ever studied.

Denisova 11: a first-generation Neanderthal and Denisovan hybrid

Main article: Denny (hybrid hominin)

Scientists studied many small bone pieces from the cave. One piece, called Denisova 11, was from a girl. Her mother was a Neanderthal and her father was a Denisovan. This was the first clear proof of a child from two different ancient human groups.

DNA from soil

Tests on soil from the cave found DNA from Neanderthals and Denisovans, even where no bones were found before.

Equus ovodovi

Scientists found DNA from an ancient horse, Equus ovodovi, in the cave. This helped them learn more about how horses evolved.

Ancient North Eurasian woman

Main article: Ancient North Eurasian

A deer tooth pendant with DNA from an Ancient North Eurasian woman was found in the cave. This showed links to people who lived far to the east.

Fossils

Scientists found the remains of seven different people in Denisova Cave. They learned about these people by studying their DNA. Four of them are called Denisovans. These included two young girls named Denisova 2 and Denisova 3, and two adult boys named Denisova 4 and Denisova 8. There was also a person named Denisova 25, who lived about 200,000 years ago.

One of the people found was a woman from a group called Neanderthals. Before scientists knew more about her, she was known as Denisova 5. In 2018, scientists found a very special person named Denisova 11. This person had DNA from both Neanderthals and Denisovans.

The cave also had remains of many animals, including woolly mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, wild horses, and many types of deer, wolves, and bears.