# The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are…

> Most likely: The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are Denisovans.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/answers/ANS0CZKZBP00QT9/the-large-robust-middle-and-late-pleistocene-crania-of-east  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Who were the Denisovans? The Harbin "Dragon Man" cranium](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity)[Which fossils are Denisovans, and so what did Denisovans look like?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZAPR2WHJ/which-fossils-are-denisovans-and-so-what-did-denisovans-look)Answer

Answer · Who were the Denisovans? The Harbin "Dragon Man" cranium

# The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are…

The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are Denisovans.

**Most likely** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Most likely** Its tests supported it: four pieces of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Molecular data from these crania carry Denisovan-specific variants.
- They share a consistent suite of cranial traits with the molecularly confirmed jaws (Xiahe, Penghu).

## What would rule it out

- Proteins or DNA from Harbin or Xujiayao lacking Denisovan variants, or grouping with Neanderthals or H. sapiens.

## Evidence 4 for · none against

[Harbin dental calculus mtDNA falls within Denisovan variation, on the early Altai branch.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/evidence/EVD0CZKZC5M7ZW8/harbin-dental-calculus-mtdna-falls-within-denisovan)

Established

FOR

[Harbin proteome: 95 proteins, three Denisovan-derived variants, clusters with Denisova 3.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/evidence/EVD0CZKZBXT19XB/harbin-proteome-95-proteins-three-denisovan-derived-variants)

Established

FOR

[Two Xujiayao specimens carry the Denisovan-specific COL1A2-996K variant.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/evidence/EVD0CZKZCDE03R5/two-xujiayao-specimens-carry-the-denisovan-specific-col1a2)

Established

FOR

[Xujiayao, Harbin, Jinniushan, Dali and Hualongdong share a distinctive cranial morphology.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/evidence/EVD0CZKZCN80S0R/xujiayao-harbin-jinniushan-dali-and-hualongdong-share-a)

Supported

FOR

## The questions it answers

[Which fossils are Denisovans, and so what did Denisovans look like?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZAPR2WHJ/which-fossils-are-denisovans-and-so-what-did-denisovans-look)

AnsweredNo answer ahead

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are… [Answer ANS0CZKZBP00QT9]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0CZKZBP00QT9
```

Key

**ANS** 0CZKZBP00QT9

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

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