Trinkaus is a renowned paleontologist who has written several books on the Neanderthals. His work focuses principally on the analysis of human fossil remains. He specializes in physical anthropology and the evolutionary background to recent human biological and cultural diversity. His work focuses on the paleoanthropological study of late archaic and early modern humans, including considerations of the "origins of modern humans" debate, the interpretation of the archeological record, and patterns of recent human anatomical variations.

A 24,500-year-old skeleton found in Portugal shows Neanderthals and early modern humans intermixed and produced children. Trinkaus, the principal paleontologist examining the skeleton of a 4-year-old child, says the find is not the isolated offspring of one Neanderthal and early modern human couple, but demonstrates contrary to what many scientists previously have argued that the two groups lived side by side and interbred. The skeleton was found on a hillside in the Lapedo Valley north of Lisbon, Portugal. The child was buried with a pierced shell and red ochre, which indicates ritual burial. Radiocarbon dating late last week confirmed the age of the skeleton, which shows the child lived 4,000 years after the time that Neanderthals and early modern humans co-existed on the Iberian Peninsula. Trinkaus is working with Joao Zilhao, Portugal's director of antiquities who is overseeing the excavation team.

"This find tells us about what it means to be human," Trinkaus said. "Many people like to distance themselves categorically from Neanderthals. This skeleton, which has some characteristics of Neanderthals and others of early modern humans, demonstrates that early modern humans and Neanderthals are not all that different. They intermixed, interbred and produced offspring.

"This is not a love child," he continued. "The results of admixture were there in the population 4,000 years after Neanderthals and early modern humans first met on the Iberian Peninsula.

"This find refutes strict replacement models of modern human origins - that early modern humans all emerged from Africa and wiped out the Neanderthal population," Trinkaus said.

Trinkaus added that in Spain and Portugal the spread of early modern humans was very late, compared to the transition elsewhere in Europe that was believed to be 5,000 years earlier. "The discovery of this very complete skeleton provides the first evidence of early modern humans from Southern Iberia," he said.

To have a 1-column image of the skeletal find sent over the Internet, call Joe Angeles at (314) 935-5217. The image must be credited to the Portuguese Institute of Archaeology.

For more information see the following links:
www.ipa.min-cultura.pt