There was some Neanderthal DNA in the ancient Europeans. This indicates that the populations mixed often, and not only by chance.

According to researchers at Germany’s Max Planck Institute, this is the case. Researchers have sequenced the DNA of what is considered to be the earliest population of ancient people living the Bacho Kiro cave in Bulgaria. According to TVP Nauka’s findings, the remains are 45,000 years old.

There are hints of Neanderthal DNA in modern genomes. Somewhere between five and seven generations ago, Neanderthals migrated into Europe and became the forefathers of modern humans. This demonstrates that there was consistent interbreeding among the population.

And it seems that the ancient Europeans did indeed leave their genetic imprint on the inhabitants of modern-day East Asia. The idea that the cave people perished without leaving any genetic legacy contradicts a number of previous hypotheses.

Four ancient skeletons were discovered there. The estimated age of these people is between 43,000 and 46,000 years. Stone artifacts dating back to the early Upper Paleolithic period have been found with human bones. For all of Eurasia, the first civilization connected with human man is the Upper Paleolithic.

Some of the skeletal remains date back as far as 35,000 years, and they were discovered alongside artifacts that date from a later period. Tools and decorations found in the Bacho Kiro cave, as well as genetic similarities between ancient humans and modern-day East Asians, point to ties to Eurasia and Mongolia.

Bulgaria’s prehistoric cave dwellers shared the region with Neanderthals. Each of the skeletons, except one, had DNA from Neandertals. According to the experts, it might be that Neanderthal tribes assimilated contemporary humans. Homo humans eventually pushed out the Neanderthals, but only after many migrations.