The discovery of a nearly complete child’s skeleton in Portugal in the late 20th century has been a subject of debate in paleoanthropology. The remains of this child, who lived thousands of years ago, have raised questions about the interactions between distinct human groups during the Upper Paleolithic period. The skeleton’s unique characteristics challenge assumptions about human evolution and fuel ongoing research into our species’ complex ancestry.
The Discovery in Abrigo do Lagar Velho
In November 1998, a team of archaeologists led by João Zilhão discovered the nearly complete skeleton of a child in the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, a rock shelter in Portugal’s Lapedo Valley. The remains were found in a deliberate burial, making it the first complete Paleolithic skeleton unearthed in the Iberian Peninsula.
The burial context suggested a ritualistic interment. The child’s body was laid on burnt pine branches and coated in a significant amount of red ochre, a pigment used in prehistoric burials. A pierced marine shell and deer teeth accompanied the skeleton as burial offerings, pointing to the symbolic thought associated with the Gravettian culture of early modern humans.
Initially, radiocarbon dating of charcoal and animal bones from the grave placed the burial between 27,700 and 29,700 years ago. More direct dating techniques later refined this timeline, with 2025 research determining the child lived between 27,780 and 28,550 years ago. This places the individual in a period when modern humans had established themselves in a region previously occupied by Neanderthals.
A Mosaic of Anatomical Features
The skeleton of the four-year-old child presented a complex mosaic of physical traits, with some characteristics aligning with anatomically modern humans and others with Neanderthals. This unexpected mixture of traits prompted a re-evaluation of the interactions between these two human lineages.
Several features of the skull and teeth were modern. The mandible, or lower jaw, had a prominent chin, a feature of Homo sapiens. The dental proportions and the small size of the incisors were also within the range of variation for early modern human populations of that time.
In contrast, the child’s postcranial skeleton displayed robust, Neanderthal-like features. The limb bones, particularly the tibia and femur, were thick and sturdy for a child of this age, and the body proportions were “arctic,” with short lower legs relative to the upper legs. This body plan is an adaptation to colder climates common in Neanderthals, distinguishing them from longer-limbed modern humans.
The Hybrid Hypothesis and Scientific Debate
The blend of skeletal characteristics led the discovery team, including Erik Trinkaus and João Zilhão, to argue that the Lapedo child was a hybrid. They concluded the child was the result of interbreeding between a Neanderthal and a modern human, representing a mixed population rather than a first-generation hybrid.
This hypothesis sparked a scientific debate, with researchers offering alternative explanations. One argument suggested the Neanderthal-like features were cold-weather adaptations in an early modern human, developed in response to the Ice Age climate of the Iberian Peninsula.
Another view proposed that the child’s traits fell within the normal range of genetic variation for human populations of that time. Scientists like C.P.E. Zollikofer argued the skeleton did not show definitive Neanderthal affinities and could be classified as a modern human. This perspective suggested the features could represent the diversity within early Homo sapiens groups.
Significance for Human Interbreeding
If the Lapedo child is a hybrid, its existence challenges the “replacement” model, which posits that modern humans completely displaced Neanderthals. The child’s anatomy supports a more complex picture of interaction that includes assimilation and interbreeding between the two groups.
The find was noteworthy as it predated widespread ancient DNA analysis. Years before genetic sequencing confirmed that modern humans of non-African descent carry Neanderthal DNA, the Lapedo child stood as physical evidence for this intermingling. It suggested the disappearance of Neanderthals was a complex process of biological and cultural exchange with incoming modern human populations.