And For The First Time, We Can See Its Face

Scientists now believe that the nearly complete “Dragon Man” skull found in Harbin, China in 1933 belongs to a Denisovan – an ancient, mysterious human relative previously known only from a pinkie bone and a few teeth.

Two new studies, published in Science and Cell, present strong genetic and protein evidence linking this 146,000-year-old fossil to the Denisovan lineage, giving us the most complete look yet at what these archaic humans looked like.

The Dragon Man had flat cheeks, a broad face, strong brow ridges, and a large braincase. His features combined both ancient traits and modern ones, and the sheer size of the skull suggests he had a large, robust body – likely suited to surviving harsh Ice Age climates.

Researchers were able to recover 95 ancient proteins from the skull and even tiny amounts of DNA from dental plaque – despite heavy contamination from modern handling. The DNA and proteins matched what is known from other Denisovan remains.

The skull’s discovery marks a major turning point. Until now, Denisovans were a genetic mystery – known through DNA but not through a complete fossil. With this skull, scientists can now begin comparing other bones and remains found in East Asia to a known Denisovan reference. It also proves that Denisovans lived far beyond the Siberian cave where they were first identified, suggesting they ranged across a much wider area of Asia.

There’s still debate over what to call them. Some scientists argue that Homo longi, the name originally given to the Dragon Man skull in 2021, should be the species name for Denisovans.