Neanderthals have interested researchers since this species of ancient people was closest to Homo Sapiens in a genetic and behavioral sense. This mysterious species of man inhabited Europe and southern Siberia during the Ice Age. However, for some reason, representatives of the Neanderthal genus died out, yielding dominance in this territory to modern man. For a long time, it was believed that there was a natural change in the dominance of a more progressive species over a less progressive one, followed by the extinction of a weaker one. However, modern scientific discoveries call into question the superiority of Homo sapiens. Studies show that Neanderthals were in many ways similar to us.
It was previously thought that Neanderthals had a less developed brain, so the representatives of this species could not compete with the more advanced human species. However, recent studies show that the Neanderthal brain regions responsible for cognition and speech are no less developed than those of Homo sapiens. This testifies in favor of the fact that the mental development of these two species was approximately at the same level. Moreover, Neanderthals probably knew how to communicate with each other (Rigby, 2021). This contradicts the stereotype that they lived in small, unorganized groups and could not socialize. These claims are also refuted by archaeological finds in recent years: graves and tombstones of Neanderthals have been discovered, as well as impressive examples of tools and weapons (Get.factual, 2022). Such knowledge and skills are more characteristic of social beings capable of accumulating and transmitting skills and traditions.
Thus, new archaeological evidence refutes the notion of Neanderthals as underdeveloped and crude creatures. They were no less advanced than their closest relatives, Homo Sapiens. The reasons for their disappearance from the face of the Earth have yet to be established, but it is unlikely that it is due to their low level of development. This type of people was similar to our direct ancestors, confirming by their behavior the role of social skills and intelligence in the development of humankind.
References
Get.factual. (2022). Neanderthal Apocalypse | Full Science Documentary – Part 1. YouTube. Web.
Rigby, S. (2021). Neanderthals could talk like humans, study suggests. BBC Science Focus Magazine. Web.