The Neanderthals (homo neanderthalensis), our closest extinct human relative, have long intrigued scientists. These archaic humans existed in Eurasia about 400,000 years ago during the last ice age of the Pleistocene epoch, later disappearing 40,000 years ago, likely replaced or assimilated by modern homo sapiens during the 30,000 years of overlap between the two species. They inhabited areas with high counts of limestone caves, which helped preserve their remains better than other archaic humans; due to this, they have been known as the “cavemen.” Although possessing a common ancestor, Neanderthals and homo sapiens are usually considered two races, and it is a common belief that the Neanderthals, who were genetically, morphologically, and behaviorally different, were less developed than the homo sapiens of today. This preconception was challenged in the 20th century when scientists made breakthroughs in discoveries suggesting more similarities between archaic and modern humans than we initially believed.
The 2018 Shanidar cave excavation uncovering Neanderthal remains in Iraqi Kurdistan is one example of the discoveries. Shanidar Z is a Neanderthal woman who died at approximately the age of 40 and was buried in a cave in Iraqi Kurdistan, where a gully was hollowed out for her body. Although experts are unsure about her exact age, she had certainly lived a long life for archaic humans of that time. Dr. Emma Pomeroy, who unearthed the skeleton, shared, “For that society, they probably would have been quite important in terms of their knowledge, their life experience,” suggesting the existence of wisdom and social cohesion within their communities. After 9 months of painstaking effort, experts finally pieced together 200 bone fragments to reconstruct Shanidar Z’s skull and recreate a model of her head. The reconstruction was said to have helped “bridge that gap between anatomy and 75,000 years of time.”
In addition to enhancing our knowledge of Neanderthal anatomy, the cave where Shanidar Z was unearthed is a Neanderthal grave discovered in 1960. Traces of pollen detected near the burials led researchers to develop the flower burial theory, theorizing that Neanderthals had traditions that included burying their dead with flowers. This theory is the first to challenge the initial perception that Neanderthals were brutish, primitive, and underdeveloped. However, further research done by Pomeroy’s team suggested an alternative – that the pollen near the graves might have been from pollinating bees. Nevertheless, this incited more questions about the Neanderthals as scientists discovered additional possible evidence of their intelligence and sophistication. The Shanidar cave acting as a burial site corroborates that the Neanderthals were capable of empathy, similar to modern humans. Among the ten Neanderthal remains excavated there, one was deaf, had head trauma likely resulting in partial blindness, and had a paralyzed arm yet lived a long time, implying that he received care from others of his species.
Our perception of these ancient humans is constantly reshaped as more newly discovered evidence points towards complexity in the Neanderthal culture and intelligence that can rival homo sapiens. This provides insight into human evolution, adaptation, behavioral research, and –above all– addresses important questions about what is considered ‘humanity’ while prompting discussions about the significance of our interconnected evolutionary past.
