Krijn
Encyclopedia
Krijn is the common name of a Neanderthal
fossil discovered off the Dutch
coast. The discovery is most notable for being the first evidence of a Neanderthal presence in the Netherlands.
, the Minister of Education, Culture and Science at a press conference held in the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities
in Leiden. The fragment is currently the center piece of a special exhibition in the same museum. The Natural History Museum
in London and Boerhaave Museum
in Leiden also pay attention to the discovery.
The scientific analysis of the skull fragment was published in the Journal of Human Evolution
.
and Leiden University
.
The shape of the orbital bone
reveals that the piece belonged to a male Neanderthal. A cavity in the bone was the result of a benign tumor probably carried from birth. The bone structure showed that he had not yet fully matured. Radiocarbon dating
and genetic testing
proved impossible due to poor preservation, but an isotope analysis
demonstrated that the young man had a diet consisting mostly of meat. This result is consistent with what was previously known of the Neanderthal diet.
, an archaeologist at Leiden University
, commented that the find may convince Dutch and British
authorities to better protect the archaeological archive in the North Sea. Other scientists echoed this wish. The fragment further provides a piece of the puzzle in the settlement history of Great Britain, adding weight to the theory that the region was recolonised from the current continent after a period of 100,000 years without human presence.
Neanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
fossil discovered off the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
coast. The discovery is most notable for being the first evidence of a Neanderthal presence in the Netherlands.
Publication
The fossil was made public by Ronald PlasterkRonald Plasterk
Ronald Hans Anton Plasterk is a Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He was Minister of Education, Culture and Science from February 22, 2007 until February 23, 2010 in the Cabinet Balkenende IV. He has been a Member of the House of Representatives since June 17, 2010. He focuses on matters of...
, the Minister of Education, Culture and Science at a press conference held in the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities
Rijksmuseum van Oudheden
The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden is the national archaeological museum of the Netherlands. It is located in Leiden. The Museum grew out of the collection of Leiden University and still closely co-operates with its Faculty of Archaeology...
in Leiden. The fragment is currently the center piece of a special exhibition in the same museum. The Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
in London and Boerhaave Museum
Boerhaave Museum
Museum Boerhaave is a museum of the history of science and medicine, based in Leiden, the Netherlands. The museum hosts a collection of historical scientific instruments from all disciplines, but mainly from medicine, physics, and astronomy.-Introduction:...
in Leiden also pay attention to the discovery.
The scientific analysis of the skull fragment was published in the Journal of Human Evolution
Journal of Human Evolution
The Journal of Human Evolution is a peer-reviewed scientific Journal. It is published monthly by Elsevier in print and online on ScienceDirect. The Journal was started in 1972, currently it is in its 56th volume. The current editors are David Begun, Mark Teaford, and Steven Leigh...
.
Analysis
The fossil is a skull fragment. It was studied by a team from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology is a research institute based in Leipzig, Germany, founded in 1997. It is part of the Max Planck Society network....
and Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
.
The shape of the orbital bone
Orbit (anatomy)
In anatomy, the orbit is the cavity or socket of the skull in which the eye and its appendages are situated. "Orbit" can refer to the bony socket, or it can also be used to imply the contents...
reveals that the piece belonged to a male Neanderthal. A cavity in the bone was the result of a benign tumor probably carried from birth. The bone structure showed that he had not yet fully matured. Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
and genetic testing
Genetic testing
Genetic testing is among the newest and most sophisticated of techniques used to test for genetic disorders which involves direct examination of the DNA molecule itself. Other genetic tests include biochemical tests for such gene products as enzymes and other proteins and for microscopic...
proved impossible due to poor preservation, but an isotope analysis
Isotope analysis
Isotope analysis is the identification of isotopic signature, the distribution of certain stable isotopes and chemical elements within chemical compounds. This can be applied to a food web to make it possible to draw direct inferences regarding diet, trophic level, and subsistence...
demonstrated that the young man had a diet consisting mostly of meat. This result is consistent with what was previously known of the Neanderthal diet.
Importance
The discovery marked both the first Dutch Neanderthal fossil, and the oldest human fossil discovered under water. Wil RoebroeksWil Roebroeks
Wil Roebroeks is the professor of Palaeolithic Archaeology at Leiden University in the Netherlands. He is widely considered to be the pre-eminent Dutch archaeologist. In 2001 he became a member of the influential Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences...
, an archaeologist at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, commented that the find may convince Dutch and British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
authorities to better protect the archaeological archive in the North Sea. Other scientists echoed this wish. The fragment further provides a piece of the puzzle in the settlement history of Great Britain, adding weight to the theory that the region was recolonised from the current continent after a period of 100,000 years without human presence.