Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Finds from Bulgaria shed new light on history of Homo sapiens

Excavations at Bacho Kiro Cave
Photo: © Tsenka Tsanova

Fragments of human bones found in Bacho Kiro Cave in central Bulgaria suggest that Homo sapiens appeared in Europe several millennia earlier than previously thought and shared the Old Continent with the Neanderthals for longer. 

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany have analyzed 4 bone fragments and a tooth discovered in the cave. Radiocarbon dating and DNA tests show that the fossils date back to 46,000 years ago. 
The earliest ancient fragments of human bones in Europe have been found in Romania. Scientists believe that Homo sapiens came from Africa about 47,000 years ago, and the Danube Valley was probably used as a route for their settlement.
The international research team is led by Jean-Jacques Hublin, Tsenka Tsanova and Shannon McPherron of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, and Nikolay Sirakov and Svoboda Sirakova of the National Institute of Archaeology with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia.


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

The village of Dolni Rakovets near Pernik is hosting the Garlic Festival

The Garlic Festival will be held on September 21 and 22 at the stadium in the village of Dolni Rakovets, Radomir Municipality, Pernik Region . The event presents the traditional production of Dolni Rakovets garlic.  Due to the favorable soil..

published on 9/20/25 7:35 AM

Burgas hosts Eldrive EV Festival 2025

The Eldrive EV Fest 2025 will be held today at the Burgas Sea Station. The event is dedicated to electric cars and its program includes test drives, presentations of new models and an evening show. Visitors will be able not only..

published on 9/20/25 5:35 AM

Sunshine with temporary cloudiness in the eastern regions expected on Saturday

On Saturday the lowest temperatures will be between 8 and 16°C; in some valleys – between 6° and 9°C, in Sofia – about 8°C. During the day it will be sunny, with temporary increases in cloudiness over Eastern Bulgaria. The wind will..

published on 9/19/25 7:15 PM