A documentary entitled “The Lost Neanderthals”, aired on Wednesday 3rd September on BBC4, featured Gibraltar and the work being carried out in the Gorham’s Cave Complex by the Gibraltar National Museum.

The programme followed French archaeologist Dr Ludowig Slimak and recent discoveries made in Mandrin Cave in southern France. The cave was regularly occupied in prehistoric times and in 2015 the remains of a Neanderthal were uncovered. The archaeological evidence points to this individual, named Thorin, having lived in close proximity to newly arrived modern humans. The documentary traced the work of an international team of scientists as they investigated the human remains and artefacts.

The connection with Gibraltar emerged when DNA extracted from Thorin was compared to that from other Neanderthals. Thorin was found to belong to an ancient lineage, with its closest relative being “Nana” from Forbes’ Quarry, Gibraltar. This revelation has led, in the words of Professor Clive Finlayson in the documentary, to “a change of paradigm” in our understanding of Neanderthals. For the first time, researchers are looking at Neanderthal regional populations, with Gibraltar and the Rhone Valley forming one such Mediterranean metapopulation, distinct from central European Neanderthals.

The documentary concludes in Gibraltar, with Dr Slimak visiting the Gibraltar National Museum and the Gorham’s Cave Complex, where he discussed the Mandrin discoveries with Professor Finlayson.

The documentary is available on catch-up and will be screened again on BBC4 next Tuesday at 23:50.