Neanderthals
Neanderthal, or Homo neanderthalensis, emerged at least 300,000 to 125,000 years ago during the Pleistocene Epoch. They were eventually outcompeted by invasive species, modern humans (Homo Sapiens) between 35,000 and perhaps 24,000 years ago. Neanderthals inhabited Europe and parts of Asia. Because Neanderthals lived in a land of abundant limestone caves, which preserved bones well, and where there has been a long history of prehistoric research, they are better known than any other archaic human group. They have become the stereotypical “cavemen” we think of today. The name Neanderthal (or Neandertal) derives from the Neander Valley in Germany, where the fossils were first found.
Appearance
They have brains almost equivalent to or larger than modern humans - humans 113cc, Neanderthals 115cc. There are many distinctive differences of the Neanderthal compared to the Homo Sapiens: Postcranial skeleton (that helps them adjust to colder climates), hyper muscular robust bones, short limbs, stocky body, large chest, and large noses. As well as having large brains, pronounced brow bridge, sloping forehead, receding chin, occipital bun, and large nasal openings.
Mousterian Complex
They made and used flake tools (Levallois technique – core tech) like their Homo ancestors. Though they used fewer large core tools (hand axes, chopper). They made hand-crafted spears and projectiles, as well as practicing hafting (stone tools on to spears).
Social Capacity
There are many signs, shown through research, that the Neanderthals had a sort of social structure. There were burials like the Shanidar Cave – flower burial. There were also signs shown in the La-Chapelle-Aux-Saints Cave that showed that they cared for the sick, injured, and/or elderly.
Culture
Again, in researching Neanderthals there’s been signs of a sort of culture which included; having base camps (open-air sites likely too but harder to find), being highly mobile with a low-density pop., certain types of clothing, and living in small bands or single-family units. There’s also evidence that they used language, had deliberate burials, and created a specific type of complex tool.
