Ancient DNA From Stajnia Cave Reveals Genetic Portrait of 100,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Community

Genetic analysis of teeth from Stajnia Cave reveals a rare snapshot of a related Neanderthal group and their links across ancient Europe.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 22, 2026, 7:35 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Università di Bologna

A First-of-Its Kind Portrait of Ancient Group Living

An international study published in Current Biology has achieved a significant genetic milestone by extracting mitochondrial DNA from eight Neanderthal teeth found in Stajnia Cave, Poland. Unlike typical discoveries that rely on isolated fossils separated by vast distances or eras, this research provides a coherent snapshot of a small group of at least seven individuals who lived at the same location north of the Carpathians. This development allows scientists to move beyond broad species-level generalizations and instead observe the genetic nuances of a specific, localized community from approximately 100,000 years ago.

Shared Maternal Lineages Across Western Eurasia

The genetic analysis reveals that the Neanderthals of Stajnia Cave were part of a far-reaching maternal branch previously identified in individuals from south-eastern France, the Iberian Peninsula, and the northern Caucasus. This widespread distribution suggests that these specific lineages were once dominant across western Eurasia before later Neanderthal populations emerged to replace them. According to Professor Andrea Picin of the University of Bologna, this result is extraordinary because it confirms that Central-Eastern Europe was not a peripheral zone but a central hub for population movements and biological connections.

Evidence of Immediate Family Ties

Within the Stajnia group, researchers identified striking genetic similarities that point toward close familial relationships. Specifically, two teeth belonging to juveniles and one belonging to an adult were found to share the exact same mitochondrial DNA. As noted by researcher Mateja Hajdinjak, this suggests these individuals were likely closely related members of the same household or kinship group. Identifying such intimate connections in remains that are 100,000 years old provides a humanizing perspective on the social structures and communal lives of ancient hominids.