Denisova Cave Stratigraphy and Lineage Lab

Cave Stratigraphic Cross-Section (300 ka – 20 ka BP) East Gallery • Layer 11

MIS Climate Epoch:

MIS 3

Mild interstadial, high human activity

Specimen & Ancient DNA Analysis High-Coverage aDNA (30×)

Denisovan Female (Juvenile)

Denisova 3 (The Finger Bone)

Distal manual phalanx discovered in 2008. Genome sequencing revealed an entirely unknown hominin branch.

Stratum / Depth Layer 11 • 2.1 m

Chronology Age 51.6 – 76.2 ka BP

Sediment Type Sandy loess with charcoal

Material Culture IUP Chlorite Bracelet & Beads

Ancient DNA Coverage & MtDNA Lineage mtDNA: Basal Denisovan

Archaic Gene Flow to Modern Humans Introgressed Alleles

Oceanian / Papuan Genomes (Denisovan) 4.8%

Tibetan Plateau / East Asian (EPAS1 Altitude Gene) 0.4%

Non-African Worldwide (Neanderthal Heritage) 2.1%

Sediment Environmental aDNA (sedaDNA) Positive Yield

Microscopic ancient DNA extracted directly from cave dirt layers without macro-fossil requirements. Reveals Denisovan occupation spikes preceding Neanderthal replacement.