Full Breakdown
Ancient Human DNA on Iberian Cave Walls
6/25/2026, 10:58:23 AM
Discovery of DNA on Cave Surfaces
Researchers examined 24 rock-art panels in 11 caves across Spain and Portugal, collecting 120 wall fragments. High-sensitivity extraction and sequencing recovered authentic ancient mitochondrial DNA in five samples: a pigmented calcite crust from Escoural Cave (Portugal) and unpigmented fragments from Escoural and Covarón Cave (northern Spain). The work was part of the First Art project, a collaboration among institutions in Spain, Portugal, the UK, China, Germany.
Findings and Genetic Insights
Nuclear data placed the two Covarón individuals in the Western hunter-gatherer cluster typical of ancient Iberia. The other three samples were sex-biased: one male-dominant, three female-dominant, and one undetermined. Damage patterns indicate a minimum age of 2 000 years; sealed conditions at Escoural imply 4 000–5 000 years.
Broader Implications
The study proves that stone surfaces, even without visible pigment, can preserve human genetic material for millennia, adding a new class of archaeological archives. This opens the possibility of identifying cave users, their sex and ancestry, and eventually linking genetic signatures to specific art techniques or styles without disturbing deposits. Preservation is uneven, with DNA surviving mainly where mineral crusts protect the surface.
Official Statements & Responses
Matthias Meyer said retrieving DNA from both pigmented and unpigmented walls expands genetic archives and raises new questions about cave visitors. Hipólito Collado Giraldo noted the findings illuminate broader patterns of cave use beyond artistic expression. Alba Bossoms Mesa expressed excitement about a method that can reveal hidden aspects of prehistoric presence. The team emphasized the uneven success rate—five of 120 samples—and called for refined, minimally invasive sampling.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Given the enormous sensitivity of current ancient DNA analysis techniques, we were eager to see if this type of contact could leave traces of DNA in the rock art, potentially allowing us to obtain genetic profiles from the makers of the art”, says Hipólito Collado Giraldo, an archaeologist and rock art specialist from the Extremadura Government in Spain, who brought together the First Art team.” — Hipólito Collado Giraldo, Archaeologist, Extremadura Government, Spain
- “Although we cannot directly connect the traces of ancient human DNA we have found to the creation of rock art, this is the first evidence for human DNA preservation on cave walls for thousands of years” — Alba Bossoms Mesa, Doctoral Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
- “This study fundamentally changes how we think about where ancient DNA can be found” — Matthias Meyer, Palaeogeneticist, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
- “The preservation of human DNA on cave walls is highly variable” — Alba Bossoms Mesa, Doctoral Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Next Steps
Future work will target additional Iberian caves, test a wider range of art styles, and refine minimally invasive sampling to improve recovery rates and clarify the conditions that favour DNA survival on stone.
