March 11, 2025 – A new discovery at Tinshemet Cave in central Israel is reshaping our understanding of human interactions during the Middle Paleolithic (MP) period in the Near East. The cave, remarkable for its wealth of archaeological and anthropological findings, has revealed several human burials—the first mid-MP burials unearthed in over fifty years.

This research, published in Nature Human Behaviour, marks the first publication on Tinshemet Cave and presents compelling evidence that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens in the region not only coexisted but also shared aspects of daily life, technology, and burial customs. These findings underscore the complexity of their interactions and hint at a more intertwined relationship than previously assumed.

The excavation of Tinshemet Cave, led by Prof. Yossi Zaidner of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Prof. Israel Hershkovitz of Tel Aviv University, and Dr. Marion Prévost of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has been ongoing since 2017. A primary goal of the research team is to determine the nature of Homo sapiens–Neanderthal relationships in the mid-Middle Paleolithic Levant. Were they rivals competing for resources, peaceful neighbours, or even collaborators?

By integrating data from four key fields—stone tool production, hunting strategies, symbolic behaviour, and social complexity—the study argues that different human groups, including Neanderthals, pre-Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens, engaged in meaningful interactions. These exchanges facilitated knowledge transmission and led to the gradual cultural homogenization of populations. The research suggests that these interactions spurred social complexity and behavioural innovations. For instance, formal burial customs began to appear around 110,000 years ago in Israel for the first time worldwide, likely as a result of intensified social interactions. A striking discovery at Tinshemet Cave is the extensive use of mineral pigments, particularly ochre, which may have been used for body decoration. This practice could have served to define social identities and distinctions among groups.

The clustering of human burials at Tinshemet Cave raises intriguing questions about its role in MP society. Could the site have functioned as a dedicated burial ground or even a cemetery? If so, this would suggest the presence of shared rituals and strong communal bonds. The placement of significant artifacts—such as stone tools, animal bones, and ochre chunks—within the burial pits may further indicate early beliefs in the afterlife.

Prof. Zaidner describes Israel as a “melting pot” where different human groups met, interacted, and evolved together. “Our data show that human connections and population interactions have been fundamental in driving cultural and technological innovations throughout history,” he explains.

Dr. Prévost highlights the unique geographic position of the region at the crossroads of human dispersals. “During the mid-MP, climatic improvements increased the region’s carrying capacity, leading to demographic expansion and intensified contact between different Homo taxa.”

Prof. Hershkovitz adds that the interconnectedness of lifestyles among various human groups in the Levant suggests deep relationships and shared adaptation strategies. “These findings paint a picture of dynamic interactions shaped by both cooperation and competition,” he explained.

The discoveries at Tinshemet Cave offer a fascinating glimpse into the social structures, symbolic behaviours, and daily lives of early human groups. They reveal a period of profound demographic and cultural transformations, shedding new light on the complex web of interactions that shaped our ancestors’ world. As excavations continue, Tinshemet Cave promises to provide even deeper insights into the origins of human society.

The research paper titled “Evidence from Tinshemet Cave in Israel suggests behavioural uniformity across Homo groups in the Levantine mid-Middle Palaeolithic circa 130,000–80,000 years ago” is now available in Nature Human Behaviour and can be accessed here.

Researchers:
Yossi Zaidner1, Marion Prévost1, Ruth Shahack-Gross2, Lior Weissbrod3, Reuven Yeshurun4, Naomi Porat5, Gilles Guérin6, Norbert Mercier7, Asmodée Galy7,8, Christophe Pécheyran8, Gaëlle Barbotin8, Chantal Tribolo7, Hélène Valladas6, Dustin White9, Rhys Timms9, Simon Blockley9, Amos Frumkin10, David Gaitero-Santos1, Shimon Ilani5, Sapir Ben-Haim1, Antonella Perdergnana11, Alyssa V. Pietraszek12, Pedro García12,13, Cristiano Nicosia13, Susan Lagle4, Oz Varoner14, Chen Zeigen1,15, Dafna Langgut16,17, Onn Crouvi5, Sarah Borgel18,19, Rachel Sarig19,20, Hila May18,19 & Israel Hershkovitz18,19

Institutions:
1.    Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
2.    Department of Maritime Civilizations, Department of Archaeological Sciences, School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures, Recanati Institute of Maritime Studies, University of Haifa
3.    Israel Antiquities Authority
4.    Zinman Institute of Archaeology and School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures, University of Haifa
5.    Geological Survey of Israel
6.    Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, UMR CEA-CNRS-UVSQ
7.    Archéosciences Bordeaux, UMR 6034 CNRS-Université Bordeaux Montaigne
8.    Universite de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour
9.    Department of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London
10.    Institute of Earth Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
11.    Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich
12.    Department of Maritime Civilizations, School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures, University of Haifa
13.    Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università di Padova
14.    Department of Bible, Archaeology and the Ancient Near East, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
15.    Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut
16.    Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Ancient Environments, Institute of Archaeology, and Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University
17.    Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures, Tel Aviv University
18.    Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University
19.    Dan David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University
20.    Department of Oral Biology, Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University