1. So what’s a caveman anyway?
Anthropology
So what’s a caveman anyway?

6. Homo neanderthalensis or Homo sapiens neanderthalensis?

7. Could we have bred with Neanderthals?
A recent genetic study suggests that yes, in areas where ancient H. sapiens and Neanderthals coexisted, there was interbreeding between the species.
However, the data suggest that while male Neanderthals may
have had offspring with female H. sapiens sapiens, female
Neanderthals probably did not produce offspring with male
H. s. sapiens.

8. ya – ya

9. What were their tools like?
Mousterian
Châtelperronian
Aurignacian
Gravettian

10. Were Neanderthals artistic?
Images of what appear to
be seals, tentatively dated
To around years ago.
From Nerja, Spain.

11. Burials?!1?1! One famous Neanderthal burial
was found with flowers in it.
Given that these particular flowers
have strong medicinal properties,
many people believe that it suggests
that Neanderthals had rituals
regarding their dead, which might
suggest a belief in an afterlife.
Burials?!1?1!

12. Shanidar 1

13. This individual was cared for by his group!!
Crushed left side of skull
Fracture wounds have healed
Survived after injury
Lived until 34-40
Likely blind in left eye
Severe brain damage to left side
of the brain, which controls the right
side of the body.
Severe fracture in deformed humerus
Paralyzed on right side due to brain injury
Pronounced limp
Multiple deformities
This individual was cared for by his group!!

14. Neanderthals were… So what happened to them? Intelligent
Socially complex
Caring
Artistic
And frankly, a lot like us.
So what happened to them?

15. Many hypotheses.
Some argue that Neanderthals interbred with H. sapiens sapiens, their genetic material eventually becoming incorporated into modern humans. AKA: Gene Flow
Others believe that when modern humans left Africa and came to Europe, they outcompeted the Neanderthals, driving them to extinction.

16. Photos from Wikipedia, National Geographic, and The Human Origins Project