Story highlights Scientists in southern Italy have known about him since 1993

Researchers worried that rescuing the bones would shatter them

(CNN) About 150,000 years ago -- give or take 20,000 -- a guy fell into a well. Last month he made science history.

The Altamura Man became the oldest Neanderthal to have his DNA extracted by researchers. It took them more than 20 years to get around to doing it.

Scientists in southern Italy have known about him since 1993, when spelunkers spied his skull staring blankly back at them from its nook in the Lamalunga cave, deep under the town of Altamura.

A man looks at an exhibit comparing modern humans to Neanderthals

Great specimen with a hitch

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