Take a moment and imagine a Neanderthal. You probably thought of a brutish caveman; he was stocky, heavy-boned, and wearing furs and skins. He grunted, rather than spoke, and lived a short and hard life. For many years, this was our best understanding of the Neanderthal people. They were the losers in the battle of human evolution, and widely unsuccessful. Modern archaeology and modern science have presented us with a very different picture of the Neanderthals.
The Neanderthals or Homo Neanderthalensis lived in Europe and parts of Asia from 400,000 to around 40,000 years ago. They are our closest extinct relative; however, they are not a direct ancestor. Homo Neanderthalensis had a large brain, a short, heavy body, a large, broad nose, and heavy musculature. Neanderthals were skilled hunters, crafted clothing and a variety of different tools, understood and used fire, and decorated their bodies and homes.
Neanderthals are the first early human species recognized as such; the first example of a Neanderthal skeleton was identified and named in 1856. It was named in 1864. Prior discoveries, including a Belgian skull found in 1829, were also identified as Neanderthal. Contextually, it is essential to recognize that Darwin’s Origin of the Species was published in 1859, contributing to the overall understanding of the evolutionary process.
Hominids of all types share a few basic traits, including a large brain case, upright posture, and the use of tools. The genus homo was the first to leave Africa, expanding their range into the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
Homo Neanderthalensis evolved from Homo Erectus, an earlier human species. Differences between the Neanderthals and modern humans or Homo Sapiens include the shape of the skull, chest and pelvis, as well as more robust fingers and toes. If you were to see a Neanderthal on the street today, it is quite possible that you wouldn’t notice anything out of sort; other than perhaps an individual that looked a little bit odd. The skull is heavier, with a larger brain case and heavier browbone. The face is quite flat, and the nose both flat and broad. The chest is funnel shaped, and the pelvis is flared. Both hands and feet are quite broad.
The individual would be quite short by modern standards. Men averaged around 5 foot 5 inches and women around 5 foot one inch tall. The Neanderthals walked upright, made and used tools, and were not so different from the modern humans who eventually entered their territory.