It was one of the most significant discoveries in paleoanthropology in decades.

And it was only the beginning.

What The Denisovans Were — And Weren’t

The initial discovery of the Denisovans raised a fundamental question that has been driving research ever since: who were they?

The honest answer, even years after the initial discovery, is that we don’t know very much.

The Denisovans are unique in the history of paleoanthropology in that they were identified almost entirely through DNA, not through fossil remains.

While Neanderthals are known from hundreds of skeletal specimens found across Europe and Asia, the entire physical record of the Denisovans consists of a handful of bones and teeth from Denisova Cave and a few fragments from other sites.