The latest genetic research from Stajnia Cave in southern Poland has successfully reconstructed the genetic profile of the oldest known group of Neanderthals in Central-Eastern Europe. The findings, derived from ancient mitochondrial DNA extracted from fossilized teeth, offer unprecedented insights into the familial connections and population movements of Neanderthals who lived roughly 100,000 years ago.
An international team of scientists recently published their remarkable findings in the journal Current Biology. By analyzing nine Neanderthal teeth found in the cave, the researchers were able to identify at least seven, and possibly eight, distinct individuals. This makes the Stajnia Cave assemblage the oldest multi-individual Neanderthal genetic dataset ever characterized in Central Europe.
“This is an extraordinary result because, for the first time, we are able to observe a small group of at least seven Neanderthals from Central-Eastern Europe who lived around 100,000 years ago,” stated Andrea Picin, professor at the University of Bologna and lead author of the study, in a press release from the Università di Bologna.
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Tracing Ancient Family Ties Through Mitochondrial DNA
The rigorous analysis of the Neanderthal teeth from Stajnia Cave involved advanced techniques such as radiocarbon dating, morphological assessment, and mitochondrial DNA sequencing. Genetic dating placed these individuals within Marine Isotope Stage 5, a period spanning approximately 120,000 to 92,000 years ago, reported the study.
One of the most telling discoveries from the genetic sequencing was the identification of identical mitochondrial DNA in three of the teeth. These teeth belonged to an adult and two juveniles. Because mitochondrial DNA is inherited exclusively through the maternal line, this genetic match strongly suggests a close familial relationship.
“This suggests that these individuals might be closely related to each other,” explained Mateja Hajdinjak, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and co-author of the study. Whether they represent a single family unit living at the same time or relatives who occupied the cave across successive generations remains a compelling mystery.
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Reconstruction of the Neanderthal teeth discovered in Stajnia Cave and analyzed in the study. (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology / CC BY 4.0)
A Crucial Hub for Neanderthal Migration
The significance of the Stajnia Cave discoveries extends far beyond the immediate family group. The mitochondrial DNA of these individuals matches a specific maternal lineage previously identified in Neanderthals from regions as distant as the Iberian Peninsula, southeastern France, and the northern Caucasus, reports Discover Magazine.
This genetic connection indicates that this particular Neanderthal lineage was once widely distributed across western Eurasia before eventually being replaced by the genetic signatures of later Neanderthal populations. It also reinforces the idea that Central-Eastern Europe was not merely a peripheral zone, but a vital crossroads for ancient human migration.
“We had known for some time that Stajnia Cave preserved exceptional evidence, but these results exceeded our expectations,” noted study co-authors Wioletta Nowaczewska of the University of Wrocław and Adam Nadachowski of the Polish Academy of Sciences. “Being able to identify such an ancient small group of Neanderthals in such a complex site is an important achievement for Polish research and for the study of Neanderthals in Europe.”
Reevaluating the Neanderthal Timeline
The Stajnia Cave research also prompts a reevaluation of other significant Neanderthal finds. The study compared the Polish genetic data with that of 'Thorin,' a Neanderthal fossil discovered in Mandrin Cave, France. Thorin carries a mitochondrial genome similar to the Stajnia group but was previously dated to around 50,000 years ago.
This chronological discrepancy led some researchers to theorize the existence of a long-isolated "ghost" population of Neanderthals. However, the new findings suggest a simpler explanation: Thorin's age may have been miscalculated due to the limitations of radiocarbon dating near its maximum range. The study's findings also carry broader implications for understanding the Middle Paleolithic record of Central-Eastern Europe, where archaeological evidence for Neanderthal activity is rich but genetic data has historically been sparse.
“Our study is a reminder that the oldest chronologies must be treated with great caution,” warned Sahra Talamo, professor at the University of Bologna. “When radiocarbon values approach the limit of calibration, it is essential not to assign more precision than the data can actually support.”
Top image: Aerial view of Stajnia Cave in Poland, from where researchers analyzed ancient DNA from Neanderthal teeth. Source: M. Żarski, Polish Geological Institute / CC BY 4.0
By Gary Manners
References
Lehmann, J. 2026. 100,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Teeth May Reveal How Early Humans Moved Across Europe. Discover Magazine. Available at: https://www.discovermagazine.com/100-000-year-old-neanderthal-teeth-may-reveal-how-early-humans-moved-across-europe-48985
Picin, A., Hajdinjak, M., Nowaczewska, W., et al. 2026. First multi-individual Neanderthal mitogenomes from north of the Carpathians. Current Biology. Cell Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2026.03.069
Università di Bologna. 2026. New genetic evidence from Stajnia Cave reveals the oldest Neanderthal group reconstructed in Central-Eastern Europe. EurekAlert! Available at: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1124697
