Neanderthal has long suffered from a bad image and continues to evoke a series of misconceptions.
Soon after the first skeletons were discovered in Belgium (1829), Gibraltar (1848) and Germany (1856), scientists of the time claimed that the Homo Neanderthalis, as it had been named, was not human. They imagined that it was some sort of beast-like primate, closer to the gorilla or the Yeti than to modern humans. We now know that these early inhabitants of Europe, not found on other continents apart from the Near East, actually looked much more like us than anything else. Here is a reconstruction of a Neanderthal child from Gibraltar by the Anthropological Institute, University of Zürich.
Was Neanderthal less evolved than us ?
One first misconception is that all Neanderthals were the same. The proto-Neanderthals fisrt appeared some 350,000 years ago, at a time when our Homo Sapiens ancestors were still fairly primitive Homo Erectus, with a brain size of 900 to 1100 cc.
Neanderthal roamed Europe until 30,000 years ago, when it suddenly seem to have disappeared. Naturally, there was plenty of time for evolution in over 300,000 years, and many sub-species developed. It is likely that there was a greater genetic distance between the most different Neanderthals ethnicities than between ethnic groups of modern humans.
When the Homo Sapiens (modern humans) arrived in Europe about 40,000 years ago, Neanderthal was at its most advanced level of evolution. Its cranium of 1200 to 1700 cc was in fact larger than that of Cro-Magnons (prehistoric European Homo Sapiens), and also 10% greater than the modern human average.
The main difference was the cranial shape. Neanderthal had a bigger occipital zone, meaning that his visual abilities (including the distinction of details and colours) were certainly better than that of modern humans.
How different were Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons ?
Scientists have long looked down on Neanderthals, claiming that it wasn't evolved enough to speak or to use tools like the Homo Sapiens. This has since been proven wrong by genetics. The very reputable Nature journal has published that Neanderthals were genetically equipped for language. Another study confirmed that Neanderthals could talk, based on the horseshoe-shaped structure in their neck.
Numerous studies have shown that Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons used similar tools, and overalll had the same technology and lifestyle. Both buried their deaths, with similar ornaments, demonstrating the same level of sentiments and care.
Do modern Europeans descend from Neanderthal ?
The most deeply rooted misconception, still widespread in the scientific world, is that Neanderthal became extinct, without leaving any contribution to modern humans. This has been proven to be false too by genetic and morphological analysis.
I have gathered here a series of link and quotes on the subject.
A careful comparison of the physical apperance of modern humans in Europe, Asia and Africa shows that only Europeans, in particular northern Europeans, display morphological aspects typical of the Neanderthals. The lower proportion in southern Europe is attributed to the more recent Neolithic arrivals from the Middle East.
DNA tests demonstrated that the Homo Neanderthalis did have reddish hair and blue eyes. It is possible that Europeans inherited fair hair, eyes and skin from Neanderthal, although our understanding of the genetic process is not good enough now to be conclusive.
Other Neanderthal features found only in Europeans or Middle Easterners include prominent eyebrows, big eyes, strong jaws and wide shoulders.
Soon after the first skeletons were discovered in Belgium (1829), Gibraltar (1848) and Germany (1856), scientists of the time claimed that the Homo Neanderthalis, as it had been named, was not human. They imagined that it was some sort of beast-like primate, closer to the gorilla or the Yeti than to modern humans. We now know that these early inhabitants of Europe, not found on other continents apart from the Near East, actually looked much more like us than anything else. Here is a reconstruction of a Neanderthal child from Gibraltar by the Anthropological Institute, University of Zürich.
Was Neanderthal less evolved than us ?
One first misconception is that all Neanderthals were the same. The proto-Neanderthals fisrt appeared some 350,000 years ago, at a time when our Homo Sapiens ancestors were still fairly primitive Homo Erectus, with a brain size of 900 to 1100 cc.
Neanderthal roamed Europe until 30,000 years ago, when it suddenly seem to have disappeared. Naturally, there was plenty of time for evolution in over 300,000 years, and many sub-species developed. It is likely that there was a greater genetic distance between the most different Neanderthals ethnicities than between ethnic groups of modern humans.
When the Homo Sapiens (modern humans) arrived in Europe about 40,000 years ago, Neanderthal was at its most advanced level of evolution. Its cranium of 1200 to 1700 cc was in fact larger than that of Cro-Magnons (prehistoric European Homo Sapiens), and also 10% greater than the modern human average.
The main difference was the cranial shape. Neanderthal had a bigger occipital zone, meaning that his visual abilities (including the distinction of details and colours) were certainly better than that of modern humans.
How different were Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons ?
Scientists have long looked down on Neanderthals, claiming that it wasn't evolved enough to speak or to use tools like the Homo Sapiens. This has since been proven wrong by genetics. The very reputable Nature journal has published that Neanderthals were genetically equipped for language. Another study confirmed that Neanderthals could talk, based on the horseshoe-shaped structure in their neck.
Numerous studies have shown that Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons used similar tools, and overalll had the same technology and lifestyle. Both buried their deaths, with similar ornaments, demonstrating the same level of sentiments and care.
Do modern Europeans descend from Neanderthal ?
The most deeply rooted misconception, still widespread in the scientific world, is that Neanderthal became extinct, without leaving any contribution to modern humans. This has been proven to be false too by genetic and morphological analysis.
I have gathered here a series of link and quotes on the subject.
A careful comparison of the physical apperance of modern humans in Europe, Asia and Africa shows that only Europeans, in particular northern Europeans, display morphological aspects typical of the Neanderthals. The lower proportion in southern Europe is attributed to the more recent Neolithic arrivals from the Middle East.
DNA tests demonstrated that the Homo Neanderthalis did have reddish hair and blue eyes. It is possible that Europeans inherited fair hair, eyes and skin from Neanderthal, although our understanding of the genetic process is not good enough now to be conclusive.
Other Neanderthal features found only in Europeans or Middle Easterners include prominent eyebrows, big eyes, strong jaws and wide shoulders.
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