Modern humans inhibited Arctic 40,000 years ago
The scientists have studied animal bones found at the Paleolithic complex in the Lower Ob
Geologists, archaeologists and physicists of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Siberian research institutes found traces of the modern humans – the so-called Homo sapiens sapiens in the territory of the Russian Arctic Zone.
The traces have been dated back 40,000 years. Earlier, scientists believed no people lived in the Arctic at those times. By using modern equipment, the experts dated the artefacts with the error margin of about 50 years, press service of the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (Novosibirsk) said.
“The scientists have found the oldest traces of the presence of modern humans in the Arctic, dated back 40,000 years (the beginning of the late Paleolithic). The scientists have studied animal bones found at the Paleolithic complex in the Lower Ob,” the press service said.
Debunked myth about uninhibited ice
The global science believes that the migration of modern humans to Europe and Asia began 50-60 thousand years ago. However, unanswered questions still remain: where did the humans live before that and how did they cross the Urals? Where did they stop in the territory of modern Siberia and did they have necessary conditions for this?
For a long time has remained a supposition that 12-30 thousand years ago the northern part of Western Siberia was covered by a large glacier (like the north of America and Europe). To the south from this glacier used to be a very large underground basin. Thus, scientists thought it was pointless to look for archaeological sites, dating back 30-40 thousand years, in the north. There were no conditions for humans there. This theory was confirmed by almost complete absence of archaeological finds: tools, sites, or organic matters.
“Under an international research program, which used AMS dating and optical-stimulating luminescence methods, our colleagues from Europe and Russia have managed to prove that there was no cover glaciation in the north of Western Siberia 12-30 thousand years ago. It happened there much earlier: 90-60 thousand years ago – to the north of Salekhard. For 30 years was absolutely adamant that in the north of Western Siberia there were all conditions for existence of ancient humans, and now we have an opportunity to try proving it: to find traces of Homo sapiens sapiens in the north of the Ob,” the press service quoted the project’s leader Ivan Zolnikov of the Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy.
Where and what was found
After the big team of scientists from the Siberian institutes – archaeologists, geologists and physicists – managed to prove that theoretically ancient people could have lived in the Arctic, they began studies in the lower reaches of the Ob River, which they believed was most promising for Homo sapiens sapiens sites. Finally, in 2020, the first traces of human existence were discovered at the Paleolithic location of Kushevat, in the sediments of an ancient brook. The scientists discovered a bone-bearing cultural horizon stretching for dozens of meters.
“The brook existed for 20-40 thousand years. By now it has shifted a few meters down. There are interesting finds that we periodically manage to date back. For example, we have found two deer antlers with traces of processing. From that bone-bearing horizon we have received the total of 20 dates – between 40 to 20 thousand years ago. Noteworthy, the findings dated back 40,000 years were bone remains, and horns processed by man. Thus, this is the first discovery in the lower reaches of the Ob River, that prove the presence of humans there 40,000 years ago,” the press service quoted the project’s leader as saying.
Equipment to date archaeological finds
To determine the age of finds, scientists use the method of accelerator mass spectrometry (UMS). This is an ultra-sensitive method of analysis, in which scientists select substance atoms by using isotopes. UMS determines with high accuracy the age of archaeological finds or geological rocks. The method is used to study the atmosphere composition and tissues of living organisms from different historical periods. The finds has been studied at the Institute of Nuclear Physics, which has the unique equipment. For many years, the institute’s UMS center has studied samples from all over Russia, as well as from foreign laboratories.
“In terms of accuracy, our UMS is not inferior to foreign analogues: we can date objects with an error margin of 50 years. The system can date the smallest pieces without damaging the finds. The work with archaeologists is ongoing. For example, we examine animal bone samples, specifically those that humans have processed somehow, and we regularly give out new results,” Academician Vasiliy Parkhomchuk said.
For added accuracy, the samples are studied in parallel on the second mass spectrometer, which has been purchased from Switzerland’s MICADAS. “The equipment was launched in January 2022. Over one year it measures more than 1,500 graphite samples. Few specialists in the world are lucky to have two accelerators of completely different designs and two types of graphite sampling – these are unique opportunities, I believe,” the press service quoted the UMS center’s director, Elena Parkhomchuk, as saying.
