FIRST-ART Team Extracts Human DNA From 5 of 54 Cave Wall Samples
Updated
Updated · National Geographic · Jun 26
FIRST-ART Team Extracts Human DNA From 5 of 54 Cave Wall Samples
3 articles · Updated · National Geographic · Jun 26
Summary
Five of 54 samples from 11 caves in Spain and Portugal yielded ancient human DNA, giving researchers their first direct recovery of such material from cave walls.
One positive sample came from a calcite-covered red dot in Portugal’s Escoural Cave, where the team identified Homo sapiens DNA at least 4,000 to 5,000 years old and no animal DNA.
Two unpigmented wall samples also carried ancient human DNA, while two more from Spain’s Covarón Cave were linked to female Homo sapiens likely from a Western hunter-gatherer group.
The researchers said the find is only a proof of concept: the DNA may have come from an artist, helper or later visitor, and several samples showed human-animal mixtures that complicate interpretation.
Published June 23 in Nature Communications, the study suggests cave walls could become a new source for studying prehistoric people, though sampling remains destructive and success rates are still low.
If cave walls hold human DNA, what other ancient artifacts could reveal their makers' identities?
As DNA reveals the sex of ancient artists, how will this reshape our view of prehistoric life?
Is uncovering an ancient artist's DNA worth the risk of damaging their irreplaceable art?
Unlocking Prehistoric Secrets: First Recovery of Ancient Human DNA from Cave Wall Surfaces
Overview
A pioneering study published in June 2026 marked a major breakthrough in palaeogenetics by successfully recovering authentic ancient human DNA directly from cave walls for the first time. This discovery proves that human genetic material can persist on cave surfaces for thousands of years, fundamentally expanding the field and positioning cave walls as invaluable biological archives. By sampling 24 rock art panels across 11 Iberian caves, researchers showed that it is possible to uncover crucial details about ancient occupants, such as their biological sex and ancestry, although authentic DNA was only found in a few samples, highlighting both the promise and challenges of this new approach.