While they may be portrayed as primitive rock smashers that communicated in a series of "oog—s," there's a whole lot more to Neanderthals than caves and loin cloths. For example, did you know that they weren't actually hunched over? Or that they buried their dead just like we do?
From the way they actually hunted to their secret sailing prowess, here are 21 rocking facts about Neanderthals that prove everything we thought we knew was wrong.
1
Neanderthals used fire to forge tools and cook food, meaning they were likely able to control fire.
3
“Neanderthals are a different species from humans, but traces of neanderthal DNA means the species may have interbred.”
4
“TIL The percentage of Neanderthal DNA in modern humans is zero or close to zero in people from African populations, and is about 1 to 2 percent in people of European or Asian background.”
5
“The reason why we view neanderthals as hunched over and degenerate is that the first skeleton to be found was arthritic.”
6
Neanderthals shared genetic traits with wooly mammoths, specifically ones that helped them respectively adapt to colder environments.
7
“The average Neanderthal man had a estimated Body Mass Index of 26.9-28.2, overweight for a modern human because of their very robust build.”
8
“Neanderthals sailed the Mediterranean. Stone tools, of the kind made by Neanderthals, were found in areas that were known to be distant islands at the time.”
9
“Neanderthals’ tracheal anatomy suggests they had high-pitched, raspy voices, like Julia Child.”
10
“There are cave drawings that are 65,000 years old, made by Neanderthals, much older than the oldest human cave drawings (30,000 years ago) in France.”
11
“Shanidar 1 was a Neanderthal fossil that, even though he developed several severe disabilities while he was alive, lived to be 35-45 years old because his social group fed and cared for him.”
12
“The oldest musical instrument in the world, a 60,000-year-old Neanderthal flute, is made from the left thighbone of a young cave bear.”
13
“Neanderthal muscles were so strong that continual use caused their bones to bend.”
14
“The skeleton of almost any adult Neanderthal shows broken bones in the upper body, but few in the legs, injuries consistent with those of modern rodeo riders.”
15
“Neanderthals ate dolphins and horses.”
16
“Neanderthal cranial capacity is thought to have been as large as that of modern humans, perhaps larger, indicating that their brain size may have been at least as large as ours.”
17
“Human mathematical intelligence and processing skills most likely came from neanderthals.”
18
“Neanderthals approached animals very closely and thrust, not threw, their spears at the animals, most likely from an underhand angle. This confrontational way of hunting required careful planning and concealment, and close cooperation between individual hunters.”
19
“Neanderthals built underground buildings out of stalagmites 175,000 years ago.”
20
“Neanderthals were distilling tar 200 thousand years ago in Europe.”
