The Russian Steppes (Altai Mountains) The Alta mountains have retained a remarkably stable climate changing little since the last ice age. In addition the mix of mammals has remained largely the same - with a few exceptions such as extinct Mammoths - making it one of the few places on earth to retain an ice age fauna. The Altai mountains were home to the Denisovan branch of hominids who were contemporaries of Neanderthals and of Homo Sapiens (modern humans), descended from Hominids who reached Asia earlier than modern humans. The Denisova hominin, dated to 40,000 years ago, was discovered in the Denisova Cave of the Altai mountains in southern Siberia in 2008. Knowledge of the Denisovan humans derives primarily from DNA evidence and artifacts, as no complete skeletons have yet been recovered. DNA evidence has been unusually well preserved because of the low average temperature in the Denisova caves. The same cave has uncovered Neanderthal bones, and tools made by Homo sapiens, making it the only known locale in the world where all three hominids are known to have lived. A dog-like canid from 33,000 years ago was found in the Razboinichya Cave. DNA analysis published in 2013 affirmed that it was more closely related to modern dogs than to wolves. Home of R1b and early migration origin. DNA evidence shows a direct link and migratory path into the caucuses at around 10,000BC fallowed by major genetic changes including agricultural revolution leading some to suggest a possible calendar system for harvest. Gobeli Tepe includes one of these marvelous traces. At around 3,000 years ago a second great migration took place major genetic changes were complete and is where most Eurasian ancestry can be traced back into. The Altai Mountains have been identified as also being the point of origin of a cultural enigma termed the Seima-Turbino Phenomenon which arose during the Bronze Age around the start of the 2nd millennium BC and led to a rapid and massive migration of peoples from the region into distant parts of Europe and Asia.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 23:09:27 +0000
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