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
“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.”
3
“Neanderthals were distilling tar 200 thousand years ago in Europe.”
4
“Neanderthals built underground buildings out of stalagmites 175,000 years ago.”
5
“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.”
6
“Human mathematical intelligence and processing skills most likely came from neanderthals.”
7
“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.”
8
“Neanderthals buried their dead Like modern humans, researchers say.”
9
“Neanderthals ate dolphins and horses.”
10
“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.”
11
“Neanderthal muscles were so strong that continual use caused their bones to bend.”
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.”
14
“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.”
15
“Neanderthals’ tracheal anatomy suggests they had high-pitched, raspy voices, like Julia Child.”
16
“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.”
17
“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.”
18
Neanderthals shared genetic traits with wooly mammoths, specifically ones that helped them respectively adapt to colder environments.
19
“The reason why we view neanderthals as hunched over and degenerate is that the first skeleton to be found was arthritic.”
20
“Neanderthals, which were traditionally thought of as extremely primitive humans, are now believed to have been extremely intelligent, even comparable to the intelligence of modern humans. They used tools, had social structures, thrived in hostile environments, and lived long lives.”
21
“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.”
22
“Neanderthals are a different species from humans, but traces of neanderthal DNA means the species may have interbred.”
23
Neanderthals used fire to forge tools and cook food, meaning they were likely able to control fire.
