![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Tam_Pa_Ling_cave_south_entrance.jpg/640px-Tam_Pa_Ling_cave_south_entrance.jpg&w=640&q=50)
Tam Pa Ling Cave
Cave in Laos with archaic human fossils / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Tam Pa Ling Cave?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
SHOW ALL QUESTIONS
Tam Pa Ling (Cave of the Monkeys) is a cave in the Annamite Mountains in north-eastern Laos. It is situated at the top of Pa Hang Mountain, 1,170 m (3,840 ft) above sea level.
Quick Facts Alternative name, Location ...
![]() South entrance to the cave | |
location in Laos | |
Alternative name | Cave of the Monkeys |
---|---|
Location | Houaphanh Province, northern Laos 260 km (160 mi) NNE of Vientiane |
Region | Annamite Mountains |
Coordinates | 20°12′31″N 103°24′35″E |
Altitude | 1,170 m (3,839 ft)[1] |
Type | Cave |
Part of | Pa Hang Mountain |
Length | 40 m (130 ft) |
Width | 30 m (98 ft) |
History | |
Material | limestone, karst |
Periods | Upper Paleolithic, Middle Paleolithic |
Associated with | Paleo-humans |
Site notes | |
Excavation dates | 2008-ongoing[1] |
Archaeologists | Fabrice Demeter, Laura Shackleford |
Close
Three hominin fossils have been discovered in the cave: TPL1, a skull belonging to an anatomically modern human; TPL2, a mandible with both modern and archaic traits; and TPL3, a partial mandible with both modern and archaic traits. The three fossils represent three separate individuals and date from around 70,000 to 46,000 years old.[1] The discoveries indicate that modern humans may have migrated to Southeast Asia by 60,000 BP.[2][3][4]