Homo Sapiens

Neanderthalensis

Don't underestimate people just because they're extinct.

150,000 years ago, back before we knew Europe even existed, Homo sapiens neanderthalansis were the Europeans.  Named after the German valley in which some of their fossils were found, Neanderthals were a rugged, strong, clever (in their own way), and uniquely cultured people.  They thrived under what would have been very tough conditions for you or me alone-- frigid tundra, large vicious fauna, daily life and death stress, and ultimately, not-so-tolerant neighbors.

In fact, it appears that they were evolutionary cousins to ourselves, Homo sapiens sapiens.  Although significant unexplained differences have been found between archaic Neander-DNA and ancient human DNA, recent fossil evidence in Portugal indicates that at some later point Neanderthals interbred with our Paleolithic ancestors.  That would make them a distinct, and probably much older, branch of our own species-- with significant inherent physical differences but enough similarity to mate and produce offspring.

But what were they like, before we started visiting them over spring break?  I think they were amazing.  To borrow a clever analogy, Neanderthals are to us what saber-toothed tigers are to the housecat.  A typical twelve year-old Neanderthal probably had the strength to wipe the floor with you or me in hand-to-hand combat.  Controversial evidence suggests he might have then cracked open the base of your skull and dug the brains out for some, perhaps culinary, purpose.  Even lacking strength in numbers-- they seem to have kept strictly to small, roving clans of fifteen or so-- and without the benefit of sophisticated technology, these folks were still naturally capable of surviving freezing cold temperatures while continually on the move hunting huge ancient animals (I like the archaeological term "megafauna").  Hunting was all the more important because it appears that Neanderthals ate almost entirely meat-- a prehistoric version of the Atkins Diet.

But mastodons, giant cave bears, mountain tigers, and wild oxen were violently unconsenting prey.  And where Paleolithic humans developed a number of clever cooperative hunting tactics, Neanderthals appear to have stuck to a very risky free-for-all strategy: a survey of Neanderthal fossils shows that these hunters sustained remarkably similar injury patterns to modern-day rodeo stars-- they were gored, trampled, and flung all over the place trying to put food on the table.  Think of that the next time you complain about the lines at Costco.

In addition, while Paleolithic humans sewed clothing and developed architecture to protect themselves from the elements, there is no solid evidence that Neanderthals ever did so prior to contact with sapiens sapiens.  Imagine then, that you are dropped off in the frigid alpine highlands of Pleistocene Europe with only a loose hide for clothing.  If you want to eat, you'll have to leap on the back of a reindeer about the size of a moose and take a bite (remember, going vegetarian was not an option).  Unrealistic?  Okay, you can have a rudimentary wooden spear.  Now go at it...  Still a rough day in the outback for any of us.  Groups of Homo sapiens sapiens, without our species' peculiar political and technological benefits, would not have lasted through the winter.  That may be why we stayed in Mother Africa so long.

Okay, so Neanderthals were tougher and better physically adapted to the world's adverse environments than any hominid ever since.  But that discussion also highlights the comparative disadvantages the Neanderthals faced next to Paleolithic humans.  Why didn't they develop technology?  Why did they stay in small groups?  Why didn't they gather-- or heck, even grow-- alternate food sources?

We don't know exactly, but broadly speaking, it may have been because they didn't need to.  Because they achieved reproductive success without the additional help, they were, according to strict biological standards, a successful branch of the Homo species.  And nature don't fix what ain't broke.  What seems to have done them in as a biologically identifiable group was the sudden arrival of competitive, gangsta-organized cousins with a fondness for real estate.  Hence opened a sad and ongoing genocidal theme in human history.

Or did it?  We return to the hybrid fossil in Portugal.  Did we wipe the Neanderthals out, or did they adapt to the newcomers by joining them?  There is evidence that Neanderthals picked up new technology for the first time after contact with Paleolithic humans, and we apparently got along on more intimate levels, as well.  We may never know how widespread these interactions were, but at some point at least some of these amazing ancient cousins were swept into our own spectacularly diverse genetic history.

This is just a glossy view of a much, much bigger-- and in my opinion, intensely fascinating-- subject.  If you share any of that fascination, you might check out the 1980s French film La Guerre du Feu, released internationally as Quest for Fire.  It's set 190,000 years ago, so you won't need French-English subtitles.  I only recently discovered this on DVD and am astounded at how ahead of its time it was.  It's a survival saga told from the viewpoint of Neanderthals during their nexus age with older hominid lines (I had no idea Homo erectus were so cantankerous-- sore losers, perhaps) and with Homo sapiens sapiens as we were just getting started.  

Neanderthals at that time were still the hominid masters of the world.  The film's refusal to portray them as mere lesser-thans is sophisticated and, sadly, still novel.  If you can overlook the hyperventilating soundtrack and one painfully silly befriending-the-mammoth scene (featuring elephants dressed in Muppet fur), this otherwise clever film explores fascinating, scientifically substantiated, and yet-innovative ideas about how Neanderthals negotiated the early Paleolithic age.  Just please keep in mind that this is not a flick for the kiddies.

However you explore the Neanderthalensis enigma, here are some questions to consider which have tantalized me for years:  Why did Neanderthals only live in such small clan groups?  Was it because of the difficulty involved with feeding larger groups?  But if so, both earlier primate and later Paleolithic human societies have shown that larger groups (up to a size of 60 or 70 individuals) solve that problem by coordinating better hunting and gathering efforts-- was this a special problem for Neanderthals?  Perhaps the result of a limited ability to communicate?  And if that was a factor, why?  Could they vocalize or use signs to represent concepts to one another?  How did our ancient Neanderthal cousins think?  What was Neanderthal culture like?

Neanderthals' brains were remarkably different from ours.  They were larger, averaging 1600cc to our 1550cc, with less-developed frontal lobes and more-developed occipital lobes in the back.  What for?  Speculation runs the gamut of credibility.  Some suspect it involved very highly-tuned eyes, since the human occipital lobe supports vision and Neanderthals also had much larger optical orbits than other hominids.  Others, like Jean Auel in her Clan of the Cave Bear book series, suggest the larger rear-brain involved some kind of ancestral or clan memory.  Still others (such as an unspeakably racist sci-fi novel I won't even mention by name) suggest Neanderthal brains conveyed mind-reading powers.  It's a big occipital mystery.

Good Introductory Neandolinks:

Discovery Channel - Besides producing a great TV special on the subject, their website does a typically brilliant job getting the latest information out in a very accessible manner.

A Day In The Life - Explore a Neanderthal cave online (you need flash software) and investigate actual artifacts for clues about their daily lives.

In Search of Neanderthals - This amateur Neanderthal site has the rest of us beat, hands down.  Have a look-- highly recommended.

New York Times - Concise article about the cool find in Portugal.  Any Neanderthal site that fails to discuss it is missing something.

God and Genetic Evidence - Speaking of cave-dwelling relatives... my fellow Christians typically don't approve of this wacky scientific interest in, um, facts.  However, this Christian-hosted discussion of the DNA side of the inquiry is worthwhile.  We reach different conclusions from the same evidence, but the editor urges literacy and critical thinking among the many of us who simultaneously value spirit and science.  That alone deserves props these days.