Homo neanderthalensis

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Modern reconstruction of Neanderthal men.

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Homo neanderthalensis is the first fossil humanoid to be identified as such, and the best known, named after remains found in the Neander Valley in western Germany in 1856. Homo neanderthalensis is found throughout [Europe, the Near East, and the remainder of the Old World. Neanderthals existed in variant forms, during the late Middle and Upper Pleistocene, circa 80,000 to 30,000 years ago. Within western Europe the remains are associated with the Middle Palaeolithic Mousterian stone tool industries that disappeared with the arrival of Cro-magnon man (early modern Humans.).^[1]

[edit] Anatomy

Neanderthal (left) and modern human (right) skeletons, showing both the similarities and the differences between the species.

A Neanderthal was a fully erect biped of stocky build, with a long low skull, prominent brow ridges and occiputs, and a jutting face.

Neanderthals were on average significantly more muscular than H. sapiens and lacked a chin. They were social creatures living in small tribes. Like the H. sapiens of their time, Neanderthals also possessed the skull features commonly considered to be required for speech.^[2]

The popular impression of him as a stooping brute is incorrect and derives from the original poor reconstruction in the Neander valley. It has also been suggested that the first individual found suffered from vitamin D deficiency (rickets) or syphilis.

Whether Neanderthals did interbreed with H. sapiens, or if this was even possible, remains unknown. So far the small amounts of Neanderthal DNA found do not suggest a recent genetic link between the species.^[3]

H. neanderthalensis also had an average brain size of 1,450 cc with a range from 1,125cc to 1,750cc. The average modern H. sapiens brain size today is 1,330cc.

Presumably Neanderthals needed this extra brain-mass to control their large muscle-mass.

Many Neanderthal fossils have been recovered, showing massive amounts of wear on the teeth, which to many physical anthropologists suggests that the teeth were regularly used for gripping skins during stretching and working.^[4]

[edit] Society

Neanderthals may have been about as intelligent as an average human. They were social creatures living in small tribes, like the humans of their time, although studies suggest that Neanderthal tribes interacted less with each other than human tribes did.

Neanderthals had the ability to make fire, and for food they relied on hunting. They were predominantly carnivorous.^[5]

They never invented projectile weapons, but relied on spears with limited range even when facing large animals. Their robust bodies enabled them to use this hunting style that was considered far too dangerous by humans. Their tools did not advance during the millions of years that they were the dominant hominid in Europe.

A common hunting technique was to drive prey animals off a cliff, or corner them and finish them off with spears, much as today's Pygmies hunt elephants.

Evidence of care for the elderly and the sick has been found^[6]. They also used medicinal plants, made clothes out of animal skins and used stone tools. Neanderthals performed elaborate burial rituals, suggesting some sort of religion.^[7] Alternatively they may have been unable to understand that the personality of the dead person is gone.

Interestingly, archaeologists have never found Neanderthal cave drawings, although handcrafted art has been found.^[8]

[edit] History

The last refuges of the Neanderthals.

Neanderthal man is thought to have developed from Homo erectus, though the widespread distribution of intermediate form hinders an attempt to resolve any single geographical locality as the place of development. The fate of Neanderthals is equally hard or determine. We know they went extinct between 28,000 and 24,000 years ago^[9], but we don't know how or why. Many theories have been presented, of which these are the most common ones:

• Climate changes.^[10]
• Competition with H. sapiens over resources.^[11]
• Their reliance on meat.^[12]
• Assimilation into the larger human population.^[13]
• An interspecies "Zeroth World War" between H. sapiens and Neanderthals.^[14]

It is likely that a combination of at least some of these factors led to the extinction of the Neanderthals.

Neanderthals are not considered to be a direct ancestor of modern humans, as they were an evolutionary dead end.

[edit] Footnotes

1. ↑ Thieme, Hartmut "Lower to Middle Paleolithic Hunting Spears, and Lithic Tool Traditions." Archaeology 13, 2003
2. ↑ Neanderthal Myths Neanderthal, Channel 4 [1]
3. ↑ Odd man out: Neanderthals and modern Humans British Archaeology [2]
4. ↑ The Dawn of Human Culture Richard Klein, New York, John Wiley and Sons, 2002
5. ↑ Living like a Neanderthal Neanderthal, Channel 4 [3]
6. ↑ Neanderthals on Trial University of Minnesota, Duluth [4]
7. ↑ Early Man Andy Simmons [5]
8. ↑ Neanderthal 'face' found in Loire BBC News [6]
9. ↑ Neanderthals' 'last rock refuge' BBC News [7]
10. ↑ Climate Change Pushed Neanderthal Into Extinction In Iberian Peninsula GeneticArchaeology.com [8]
11. ↑ Did Use of Free Trade Cause Neanderthal Extinction? Newswise [9]
12. ↑ Meaty appetites may have caused Neanderthal extinction Science & Spirit [10]
13. ↑ The assimilation model, modern human origins in Europe and the extinction of Neanderthals Fred H. Smith, Ivor Jankovic, Ivor Karavanic [11]
14. ↑ Odd man out: Neanderthals and modern Humans British Archaelogy [12]