6.3 Neanderthal Societies, Art, and Symbolic Thought

What did the societies of NeanderthalsAn extinct human species adapted to cold environments, known for their robust build, tool use, symbolic behaviour, and interbreeding with Homo sapiens. in this brutal, changing, landscape actually look like? Further, a long standing debate has raged about whether Neanderthals created art and are capable of symbolic thought. Neanderthal societies, and the debates surrounding them, are introduced here.

Evolving Interpretations of Neanderthal Societies

As noted in Lesson 6.2 Europe in the Middle PalaeolithicA phase of the Stone Age characterized by the rise and dominance of Neanderthals in Eurasia, dating from ~300,000 to 40,000 years ago., Neanderthal groups contained approximately 10-30 individuals at any given time, and made use of their small numbers to conduct mobile subsistence strategies exploiting broad landscapes.

A long standing question is how “human” our closest relatives are, with early interpretations of Neanderthals describing them as living “ugly, short, and brutish lives”, and more recent interpretations placing an emphasis on the interpersonal bonds and abilities of these people. This lesson will be split into two sections introducing the social and more ephemeral side of Neanderthal societies, highlighting their similarities to us and humanising their endeavours.