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Home/Anthropology/Mains PYQ/2019/Paper I/Human Evolution & Primatology
UPSC MainsAnthropology Optional Paper I 2019 15 Marks Model Answer Available

Neanderthals and the African Origin of Humankind — 2019 Paper I

Question · 2019 · Paper I · 15 Marks

“Europeans are closer to Neanderthals.” Critically discuss in view of the African origin of humankind.

Model Answer

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Approach

  • Demand of Question: Critically assess the apparent genetic affinity between Europeans and Neanderthals without contradicting the African origin of modern humans.
  • Structuring the Response: Establish African origin, explain Neanderthal admixture after Out-of-Africa dispersal, and distinguish ancestry from direct descent.
  • Key Dimensions to Cover: Out-of-Africa, Neanderthal genome, Green et al., archaic admixture, non-Africans, African genetic diversity and assimilation model.

Model Answer

Introduction: Fossil and genomic evidence strongly supports an African origin of anatomically modern Homo sapiens. However, sequencing of the Neanderthal genome demonstrated that present-day non-African populations, including Europeans, possess a small proportion of Neanderthal-derived DNA.

African origin of modern humans: Early anatomically modern Homo sapiens fossils occur in Africa, including:

  • Jebel Irhoud;
  • Omo Kibish;
  • Herto.

Genetic evidence also shows that African populations possess the greatest human genetic diversity, indicating deeper population history in Africa.

Thus:

African Homo sapiens → Out-of-Africa dispersal → Eurasian expansion

Neanderthal affinity: Genomic studies, particularly the draft Neanderthal genome published by Green et al. (2010), showed that most present-day populations outside sub-Saharan Africa possess roughly 1–2% Neanderthal ancestry.

This resulted from interbreeding after modern humans dispersed from Africa and encountered Neanderthals in Eurasia.

African modern humans + Neanderthals → Limited admixture → Non-African populations

Therefore, Europeans are genetically closer to Neanderthals than many sub-Saharan African populations in terms of archaic introgressed DNA, not because Europeans evolved directly from Neanderthals.

Critical clarification:

  1. Neanderthals are not the primary ancestors of Europeans. The overwhelming majority of European ancestry derives from modern Homo sapiens populations of African origin.
  2. Affinity is not exclusive to Europeans. Many Asian and other non-African populations also possess Neanderthal ancestry, sometimes at comparable or slightly higher levels.
  3. Admixture modifies strict replacement theory: The earliest Out-of-Africa model emphasized near-total replacement of archaic humans. Genomic evidence instead supports:

African origin + Major replacement + Limited archaic admixture

  1. Some African populations may also carry indirectly introduced Neanderthal ancestry through later back-migration from Eurasia.

Evolutionary significance: Certain introgressed Neanderthal variants affected:

  • immunity;
  • skin physiology;
  • metabolism;
  • adaptation to Eurasian environments.

Some archaic variants were advantageous, while others were subsequently removed by natural selection.

Conclusion: The statement that Europeans are “closer to Neanderthals” is valid only in the limited sense of Neanderthal genetic admixture. It does not challenge the African origin of modern humanity; rather, it refines it into an assimilation model in which African-origin Homo sapiens interbred to a limited extent with Eurasian archaic populations.

2026 Human evolution is a product of both biological and cultural factors. Elaborate. 2026 Discuss the phylogenetic status, characteristic features, geographical distribution and lifeways of Paranthropus. 2026 What are Strepsirhini Primates? Describe their geographical distribution and mention the characteristics that distinguish them from Haplorhini Primates. 2026 Seed Eaters Model of hominid differentiation.

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UPSC Anthropology Optional 2019 — Paper I

28 questions

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Syllabus: Paper I > 3. Economic Organization > Modes of subsistence > Pastoralism
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1(e) Relative Dating Methods

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.8(a) Chronology: relative and absolute dating methods
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