We present the high-quality genome sequence of a ∼45,000-year-old modern human male from Siberia. This individual derives from a population that lived before-or simultaneously with-the separation of ...the populations in western and eastern Eurasia and carries a similar amount of Neanderthal ancestry as present-day Eurasians. However, the genomic segments of Neanderthal ancestry are substantially longer than those observed in present-day individuals, indicating that Neanderthal gene flow into the ancestors of this individual occurred 7,000-13,000 years before he lived. We estimate an autosomal mutation rate of 0.4 × 10(-9) to 0.6 × 10(-9) per site per year, a Y chromosomal mutation rate of 0.7 × 10(-9) to 0.9 × 10(-9) per site per year based on the additional substitutions that have occurred in present-day non-Africans compared to this genome, and a mitochondrial mutation rate of 1.8 × 10(-8) to 3.2 × 10(-8) per site per year based on the age of the bone.
We present an analysis and interpretation of current knowledge on Paleolithic diet in Siberia and Eastern Europe, based on C and N stable isotope ratios in bone collagen of the pre-Last Glacial ...Maximum (LGM) and LGM hominins: three Neanderthals; one possible Denisovan; a Neanderthal/Denisovan hybrid; and 13 early anatomically modern humans (AMH). We used animal stable isotope information for Siberia obtained previously to establish the baselines for hominins; this is supplemented by stable isotope values for large mammals from the central West Siberian Lowland which were the probable sources of protein for Paleolithic humans in this region (first of all, the oldest directly radiocarbon-dated Ust’-Ishim AMH in Asia). A comparison of results on Paleolithic hominin diet from Siberia and Eastern Europe with Central Europe was also undertaken. The Neanderthal diet in Siberia was based on the consumption of terrestrial animal protein. As for the Neanderthal/Denisovan hybrid from Denisova Cave (Altai Mountains, southern Siberia), the contribution of aquatic food like freshwater fish can be preliminarily suggested. Overall, Paleolithic AMHs in Siberia and Eastern Europe procured mainly terrestrial herbivores—in particular, reindeer, horse, and bison. It is possible that some of the oldest AMH individuals—like Kostenki 1—supplemented their diet with a certain amount of aquatic food (freshwater fish).
The authors of the article, having considered a series of migrations of large and small peoples to different regions of the world, found out that the change of territories of their habitat during ...periods of long duration was a permanent historical process. Throughout the history of mankind, individual ethnic groups and sometimes even entire peoples have changed their places of residence for one reason or another, moving in many historically recorded cases to the territory already inhabited by other peoples, coming into contact with these peoples and developing in each case various (constructive or destructive) forms of interaction. This was the case in the past, these processes continue in the present and there is every reason to assume that this will happen in the future. The term "indigenous peoples" has a certain meaning only within the framework of colonial and postcolonial discourse, outside of these limits, this term is either heuristically meaningless, or acquires an instrumental-biased and even speculative character. Nevertheless, the vagueness and dubiousness of the term "indigenous peoples", oddly enough, does not prevent its use in scientific discourses, in solving identity problems, in ethnopolitical, socio-economic and international legal spheres. The authors have revealed that this is due to the processes of mythoconstruction of national histories by small and large peoples and, to a certain extent, geopolitical interests.The more you delve into the analysis, the more you become convinced that the concept in question is not only not heuristically significant in scientific terms, but is also often used in large-scale socio-cultural myth-making, for political and geopolitical purposes, in fueling interethnic conflicts, in inciting national enmity and other similar situations. This dubious concept is anti-historical and dangerous for the process of preserving the peaceful and sustainable existence of peoples within and between States.
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