Theoretical and Applied Karstology, 16 (2003), pp. 77–81 The oldest modern humans in Europe Abstract Several human bones were discovered in 2002 in a new cave in south-western Romania. 14 C datings placed them 35,000 years ago, as the oldest remains of modern humans in Europe. Anthropological studies revealed modern and unique archaic features of these inhabitants which are described together with their regional archaeological and anthropological context. Key words: fossil modern human, archaeology, anthropology, Romania. Les plus anciens humains modernes d’Europe Résumé Quelques ossements humains ont été découverts en 2002 dans une grotte nouvelle au sud-ouest de la Roumanie. Les datations à radiocarbone ont fourni l’âge de 35.000 ans — représentant ainsi les restes fossiles de l’homme moderne les plus anciens d’Eu- rope. Les études anthropologiques ont révélé des caractéristiques modernes et archaïques uniques de ces habitants, qui sont dé- crites dans leur contexte archéologique et anthropologique régional. Mots-clés: homme moderne fossile, archéologie, anthropologie, Roumanie. 1 “Emil Racoviţă” Institute of Speleology, Cluj Branch, str. Clinicilor 5, R-400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. 2 PRO ACVA GRUP, Surduc 1, R-300552 Timişoara, Romania. 3 Department of Anthropology, Campus Box 1114, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA. 4 National Museum of History of Transylvania, str. C. Daicoviciu 2, R-400020 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. 5 ”Fr. J. Rainer” Centre for Anthropologic Research, Bd. Eroii Sanitari 8, P.O. Box 35-13, R-050474 Bucureşti, Romania. The discovery The hypothesis of repeated dispersals of human populations from Asia to Europe, by following the Danube’s corridor has been suggested based upon archeological evidence. The dis- covery of a well preserved human mandible in a new cave of south-western Romania (Peştera cu Oase), in 2002, by three speleologists, Ştefan Milota, Adrian Bîlgăr and Laurenţiu Sarcina, confirms that there is still much to discover in terms of archeology and anthropology in this part of Europe. The morphology of the cave and the importance of fossil mammal * corresponding author. E-mail address: oanamol@hasdeu.ubbcluj.ro © 2003, Editura Academiei Române. All rights reserved. Oana Moldovan 1 *, Ştefan Milota 2 , Laurenţiu Sarcina 2 , Erik Trinkaus 3 , Ion Băltean 4 , Andrei Soficaru 5 & Géza Rajka 1 * Rapid communication bone deposit was decisive in the scientific valorization of the discovery. For the moment, no archeological excavations have taken place within the cave, and most of the fossil specimens are Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) young and adults. The human mandible Since it was a surface find in the middle of the cave, two samples were taken from the human mandible (Oase 1) and directly dated with AMS radiocarbon. The resultant ages were