An abandoned quarry in southwestern China has given scientists a portal into the Stone Age. The site's trove of fossils and artefacts provides an unprecedented glimpse into the lives and abilities of the mysterious ancient humans called Denisovans. Evidence from the site indicates that Denisovans crafted bone tools similar to those made by their relatives, the Neanderthals. The items also suggest that Denisovans, who lived at the site for at least 30,000 years, and possibly as long as 120,000 years, were skilled hunters of animals such as deer. No other site provides such a long, clear record of behaviour and technology that are closely connected to Denisovans. 'This site's the full package,' says Ben Marwick, an archaeologist at the University of Washington in Seattle who was not involved in the study. 'It's the first site that we have with a long, rich sequence that's uniquely associated with Denisovans,' he says. The Denisovans were first described in 2010, after researchers...
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