Archaeologists Find Oldest-Known Human-Neanderthal Hybrid

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Declan Gallagher | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 9:32 AM ET

In a new study published in the journal l'Anthropologie, scientists have identified the earliest-known example of human interbreeding with Neanderthals. It offers stunning new insight into the ancient peoples, who were apparently mating hundreds of thousands of years before previously thought.

Remains Recovered Nearly 100 Years Ago

The remains of the five-year-old child were discovered almost 100 years ago, in 1935 in Israel's Skhul Cave within Mount Carmel. The research effort, led by Israel Hershkovitz of Tel Aviv University and Anne Dambricourt-Malassé of the French National Centre for Scientific Research, created intricate 3D models of the skull and jaw using an advanced micro-CT scanning examination.

This revealed the child’s skull to be synonymous in shape with that of Homo sapiens, but it also found traits typically associated with Neanderthals, such as a lower jaw structure and intracranial blood supply. As such, it’s the earliest evidence yet of amorous relations between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. Prior to this discovery, the oldest-known example of human-Neanderthal interbreeding was “the Lapedo Valley Child,” excavated from Portugal and dated to 28,000 years ago.

It's the First-Known Interbreeding Between Humans and Neanderthals

"Genetic studies over the past decade have shown that these two groups exchanged genes," Hershkovitz explained. "Even today, 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals disappeared, part of our genome—two to six percent—is of Neanderthal origin. But these gene exchanges took place much later, between 60,000 to 40,000 years ago."

Hershkovitz previously published a related study in 2021 which determined that Neanderthals inhabited Israel as early as 400,000 years ago. Known as "Nesher Ramla Homo" people, they came into contact with Homo sapiens while migrating out of Africa about 200,000 years ago, which scientists believe led to the interbreeding documented in the Skhul Cave discovery.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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