New View of Neanderthal

Neanderthals have long been thought of as a very primitive species, but this view is changing as evidence to the contrary emerges. Studies on Neanderthal remains have shown that they were not as primitive as initially thought, and that they possessed the ability for flexible, creative behavior similar to modern man (Brainard, 1998). They have previously been thought of as lacking language skills, foresight, creativity, and other cognitive abilities found in modern humans. In 1977, German anthropologists reported finding aerodynamic wooden spears belonging to ancestors of Neanderthals made 400,000 years ago (Brainard, 1998, p. 72), and stone spearheads have been found at many Neanderthal sites in both Europe and the Middle East (Bower, 1999, p. 4). Scientists investigating Neanderthal remains in a cave in France found evidence of tool marks on the bones of animals found there, and also found ornaments, including pierced animal teeth, suggesting that the Neanderthals wore jewelry and were aware of symbolism. Researchers question whether the Neanderthals developed the use of jewelry on their own, or whether they acquired it by trading with modern man who lived in the same regions at the same time (Brainard, 1998, p. 73). Bar-Yosef also reports on pierced marine shells, probably worn as jewelry, found in caves in the Levant (Bar-Yosef, 1993, p. 100).

Evidence from a Neanderthal buried in Kebara cave on the western slopes of Mount Carmel with a jawbone with its hyo

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