In 2025, scientists confirmed that a nearly complete skull found in China belongs to the Denisovans — a mysterious group of ancient humans. This skull, known as the Harbin skull or Dragon Man, is the most complete Denisovan fossil ever discovered. Until now, Denisovans were only known from a few fragments like a finger bone and some teeth. This discovery gives researchers, for the first time, a clear view of what these ancient relatives looked like.
Discovery of the Harbin Skull
The Harbin skull was first discovered in 1933, during bridge construction over the Long Jiang (or “Dragon River”) in Harbin, northeastern China. However, it was hidden by a worker in a well and only came to the attention of scientists in 2018, when the skull was handed over by the man's grandson.
In 2021, Chinese researchers described the fossil and suggested it might belong to a new species named Homo longi (meaning “dragon man” in Mandarin). The skull’s large braincase, strong brow ridge, and big molar teeth made it clear that it belonged to an archaic human. But it was still uncertain whether it was a Denisovan.
Scientific Studies Confirm Denisovan Identity
In 2025, two detailed studies published in the journals Science and Cell confirmed the identity of the Harbin skull. Scientists used modern techniques to examine the skull’s molecules:
1. Protein Analysis
- 95 ancient proteins were extracted from the skull's petrous bone.
- Some protein sequences exactly matched those found in earlier Denisovan fossils from Siberia, Tibet, and Taiwan.
- This confirmed that the Dragon Man fossil shared the same ancestry as other Denisovans.
2. Dental Plaque DNA
- A small amount of fossilized plaque (called dental calculus) was scraped from a molar.
- DNA found inside the plaque was matched to Denisovan mitochondrial DNA.
This was the first time ancient human DNA was recovered from dental calculus from the Palaeolithic era.
These methods confirmed that the skull belonged to a Denisovan — not just based on shape, but also by genetic evidence.
Reference: Q. Fu et al., Science (2025); Q. Fu et al., Cell (2025); www.nature.com; www.science.org
What the Skull Reveals About Denisovans ?
Until now, scientists had little idea what Denisovans looked like. The Harbin skull is the first clear view of Denisovan facial structure. Features include:
- A large braincase (about 1,420 cubic centimeters, similar to modern humans)
- A wide face and flat cheekbones
- A strong brow ridge
- Thick molar teeth
- A long, low skull shape
Researchers now say this skull will help identify other Denisovan fossils in museum collections or excavation sites, even if DNA is not available.
Timeline of the Harbin Skull
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1933 | Skull discovered in Harbin, China and hidden in a well |
| 2018 | Skull handed to scientists by grandson of original finder |
| 2021 | First described as Homo longi ("Dragon Man") |
| 2025 | Confirmed as Denisovan through DNA and protein analysis |
Timeline: Where Dragon Man Fits in Human Evolution
| Time Period (Years Ago) | Key Hominin Event |
|---|---|
| 2 million | Homo erectus emerges in Africa, later spreads into Asia |
| 800,000 | Common ancestor of Neanderthals, Denisovans, and modern humans |
| 600,000 | Neanderthals and Denisovans split from modern human ancestors |
| 400,000 | Neanderthals develop in Europe and West Asia |
| 200,000 – 300,000 | Denisovans evolve in Central and East Asia |
| 217,000 – 187,000 | Oldest known Denisovan fossils in Siberia (from Denisova Cave) |
| 146,000 | Harbin (Dragon Man) skull — first nearly complete Denisovan skull |
| 40,000 | Last Denisovan DNA traces found in modern humans in Southeast Asia |
| 40,000 – present | Only Homo sapiens survives globally |
Importance of the Discovery
This discovery is a major moment in the study of human evolution. Before this, Denisovans were a puzzle — we knew about them through small bones and their DNA, but never had a full picture. Now, scientists can study their skull shape, brain size, and facial features in detail.
It also shows that Denisovans lived across a wide area — not just in cold Siberia, but also in regions like northeast China, Tibet, and Taiwan.
Even with this discovery, some questions are still open:
- Are Denisovans a different species, or a subspecies of Homo sapiens?
- Should the name Homo longi still be used, or should it all be called Denisovan?
- How many types of Denisovans were there?
These questions will be studied in the future as more fossils are found and technology improves.
The identification of the Dragon Man skull as Denisovan is a breakthrough in the understanding of ancient human relatives. It combines new genetic methods with careful fossil study to uncover a part of human history that was hidden for thousands of years. Scientists now finally have a face to match the mysterious Denisovans.