Title: Re-examination and possible TB infection of the Subalyuk Neanderthal remains (Subalyuk Cave, Hungary)

Authors: György Pálfi¹, Olga Spekker^1,2, Erika Molnár¹, Zsolt Bereczki¹, Hélène Coqueugniot^3,4, Olivier Dutour^3,4, Anne-marie Tillier³, Zsolt Mester², Enikő Szvák⁵, Wilfried Rosendahl⁶, Antal Sklánitz⁷, Frank Maixner⁸, Albert Zink⁸, David E. Minnikin⁹, Ildikó Pap^1,5

Affiliations: ¹Department of Biological Anthropology, Institute of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary; ²Institute of Archaeological Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary; ³UMR 5199 PACEA (Université de Bordeaux-CNRS), France; ⁴École Pratique des Hautes Études, PSL University Paris, Paris, France; ⁵Department of Anthropology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary; ⁶Reiss-Engelhorn-Museum, Mannheim, Germany; ⁷Central Quality Laboratory, Continental Automotive Hungary Ltd, Budapest, Hungary; ⁸Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy; ⁹Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

Abstract: In 1932, skeletal remains of two Neanderthal individuals, a young adult female and a 3–4–year-old child, were discovered in Subalyuk Cave in northeastern Hungary. Results of the anthropological examination were published some years after this important discovery (e.g., Bartucz, 1940). As in the second half of the 20th century, numerous Middle Paleolithic human remains were discovered, a detailed re-examination was carried out 25 years ago (Pap et al., 1996). New methodological progresses encouraged new re-examinations during the last few years. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the female individual, combined with DNA enrichment, revealed a low covered mitochondrial genome unambiguously assigning the adult skeleton as Homo neanderthalensis (the studied DNA remains of the child’s skull were too degraded to evidently confirm the morphological evidence). Radiocarbon dating revealed an age of 39,650–38,610 cal BP (2 Sigma) for the adult female and 34,487–33,286 cal BC (2 Sigma) for the child (Pálfi et al, 2020). Paleopathological investigations of these Neanderthal remains revealed distinct evidence of skeletal infections. Alterations of the adult individual’s sacrum suggest probable early-stage sacroiliitis, while several vertebral bodies indicate superficial osseous remodelling of infectious origin. Traces of granular impressions, abnormal blood vessel impressions, and superficial new bone formation were observed on the endocranial surface of the child’s skull, reflecting a reaction of meningeal tissues, a consequence of a possible TB-related meningeal infectious process. Results of a recent microscopic examination, performed on the endocranial surface of the child’s skull and the adult individual’s vertebral surfaces, support the morphological diagnosis of possible TB infections.

References:

Bartucz, L. (1940) Der Urmensch der Mussolini-Höhle. – In: Bartucz, L., et al.: Die Mussolini-Höhle (Subalyuk) bei Cserépfalu. – Geol. Hung. Ser. Paleontol. 14: 49-105.

Pap, I. et al. (1996): The Subalyuk Neanderthal remains (Hungary): a re-examination. Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 88: 233-270.

Pálfi, G., et al. (2020): Re-examination of the Subalyuk Neanderthal Remains (Subalyuk Cave, Hungary). EAA 2020 Virtual repository, Session 400, Abstract. https://www.e-a a.org/EAA2020virtual/Repository/EAA2020virtual/Repository.aspx?hkey=ff7ef56e-f2f8-4379-beb3-459ae83a1070

Keywords: Middle Palaeolithic, Subalyuk, Neanderthals, C14, paleopathology, endocranial TB lesions, superficial vertebral changes

Funding: This work was supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (Hungary) (grant agreement n° K 125561).