# Which fossils are Denisovans, and so what did Denisovans look like? · Who were the Denisovans? The Harbin "Dragon Man" cranium > Four answers have been proposed. The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are… leads, with… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZAPR2WHJ/which-fossils-are-denisovans-and-so-what-did-denisovans-look Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:16+00:00 --- **0** # Which fossils are Denisovans, and so what did Denisovans look like? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·4 answers·0·0 following **Answered: The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are…** Passed its tests and review. ## Where it stands Four answers have been proposed. The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are… leads, with evidence 4 for: supported by its tests. Three are still possible. Of the two narrower questions under it, one is answered. ## Why it matters For a decade the Denisovans were a genome without a body⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKYYQY78SZ/genetic-history-of-an-archaic-hominin-group-from-denisova). Matching them to fossils turns a genetic population into an anatomical one that can be compared, dated and mapped. This is the question the 2025 and 2026 results answered⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ1NP4N96/the-proteome-of-the-late-middle-pleistocene-harbin)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ2D45SWC/the-proteome-of-middle-pleistocene-xujiayao-and-common). ## Answers 4 [**The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/answers/ANS0CZKZBP00QT9/the-large-robust-middle-and-late-pleistocene-crania-of-east) Supported by its tests Evidence: 4 for Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/answers/ANS0CZKZDWA23BM/none-of-these) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: none yet Disputed [**The Denisovans correspond to only part of this group (Homo juluensis), and Harbin, Dali and Jinniushan form a…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/answers/ANS0CZKZCX269X0/the-denisovans-correspond-to-only-part-of-this-group-homo) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 1 against Disputed [**The East Asian crania are regional archaic H. sapiens or H. heidelbergensis, and Denisovans remain without a…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/answers/ANS0CZKZDCP1D2G/the-east-asian-crania-are-regional-archaic-h-sapiens-or-h) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 1 against Disputed ## History 1. 2021[Ni et al. puts forward: the large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ0PE0MGB/massive-cranium-from-harbin-in-northeastern-china) 1. 2024[Bae & Wu puts forward: the Denisovans correspond to only part of this group (Homo juluensis), and Harbin, Dali and Jinniushan form a…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ1XG39KY/making-sense-of-eastern-asian-late-quaternary-hominin) 1. 2025[Fu et al.: harbin proteome: 95 proteins, three Denisovan-derived variants, clusters with Denisova 3.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ1NP4N96/the-proteome-of-the-late-middle-pleistocene-harbin)For: The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are… 1. 2025[Fu et al.: harbin dental calculus mtDNA falls within Denisovan variation, on the early Altai branch.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ1DW4XNV/denisovan-mitochondrial-dna-from-dental-calculus-of-the-146)For: The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are… 1. 2025[Fu et al.: the Harbin cranium carries Denisovan variants in proteins and mtDNA.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ1NP4N96/the-proteome-of-the-late-middle-pleistocene-harbin)Against: The East Asian crania are regional archaic H. sapiens or H. heidelbergensis, and Denisovans remain without a… 1. 2026[Xing et al. puts forward: the East Asian crania are regional archaic H. sapiens or H. heidelbergensis, and Denisovans remain without a…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ2D45SWC/the-proteome-of-middle-pleistocene-xujiayao-and-common) 1. 2026[Xing et al.: two Xujiayao specimens carry the Denisovan-specific COL1A2-996K variant.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ2D45SWC/the-proteome-of-middle-pleistocene-xujiayao-and-common)For: The large, robust Middle and Late Pleistocene crania of East Asia (Harbin, Xujiayao and their allies) are… 1. 2026[Xing et al.: both Harbin and Xujiayao carry Denisovan variants.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZKZ2D45SWC/the-proteome-of-middle-pleistocene-xujiayao-and-common)Against: The Denisovans correspond to only part of this group (Homo juluensis), and Harbin, Dali and Jinniushan form a… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZAPR2WHJ/which-fossils-are-denisovans-and-so-what-did-denisovans-look%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZAPR2WHJ/which-fossils-are-denisovans-and-so-what-did-denisovans-look%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZAPR2WHJ/which-fossils-are-denisovans-and-so-what-did-denisovans-look%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZAPR2WHJ/which-fossils-are-denisovans-and-so-what-did-denisovans-look%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZAPR2WHJ/which-fossils-are-denisovans-and-so-what-did-denisovans-look%23add-source) Where it fits Who were the Denisovans? The Harbin "Dragon Man" cranium **Which fossils are Denisovans, and so what did Denisovans look like?** Key question · you're here [Is the molecular identification of the Harbin cranium sound?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZAYJ3G7F/is-the-molecular-identification-of-the-harbin-cranium-sound)Answered · Both the proteome and the calculus mtDNA are endogenous and Denisovan. [What should the lineage be called?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity/questions/QST0CZKZB6C1Y2W/what-should-the-lineage-be-called)Most likely · homo longi, the first formal name given to a member of the lineage [ Ask a question under this one ]