Neanderthals May Have Reached Northern Arabia 55,000 Years Ago, Stone Tool Study Suggests
A new archaeological study indicates that Neanderthals might have extended their range into northern Arabia approximately 55,000 years ago, a finding based on distinctive patterns in Middle Palaeolithic stone tools. Researchers analyzed 704 Levallois blanks from 12 archaeological sites across Northeast Africa, Arabia, and the Levant, dating between 100,000 and 50,000 years ago. Levallois tools, a technique used by both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, were examined for subtle differences in shape and production. The study found that population history was the strongest explanation for these differences, with tools associated with Neanderthals showing statistically distinct patterns from those linked to Homo sapiens. Statistical models, trained to differentiate between the two populations, achieved over 93% accuracy. When applied to two Arabian assemblages, Jebel Katefeh-1 (JKF-1) and Al-Marrat 3, the models indicated a stronger similarity to Neanderthal-associated tools. New luminescence dating places the JK... 
