Neanderthals lived in Europe from ~400,000 years ago to ~28,000 years ago. During this time period the continent went through numerous ice ages. The Neanderthals’ body evolved to deal with this new tough environment, as did their technology. One important adaptation was the use of clothes.
In short, neanderthals covered most of their body in cold environments, less so during the warm. They often wore gloves and shoes, but only wore hats during the coldest times. However, these clothes were likely just simple furs or skins, tied or just draped over their body. They lacked the technology to produce tight fitting tailored clothes, like the kind modern humans wore.
Sounds like us. I don’t like wearing hats either and the clothes wore is very temperature dependent. Were they taking their whole wardrobe with them or making the clothes as the seasons came. Planning or reacting to the weather?
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I do not know. We are outside my area here, but my guess is that they were planning. It takes time to make clothing…right?
Well it does take time to make clothing. I read that only Sapiens tailored their clothing to be more form fitting and sewing together cut pieces of fur. Neanderthals just wrapped skins around themselves cloak like. But I can see both species to be working hard to make clothes as the autumn winds came fully knowing that winter was approaching and they needed to stay warm.
Sounds like a lot of speculation… is there any archaeological proof that they even wore clothes?
Perhaps they roamed around naked.
That looks like a computer generated picture…
Any reference ?
I am genuinely curious.
On the left is a photograph of a confirmed Neanderthal grave. On the right is one reconstruction possibility. Now, of course, Sapiens invited to this Neanderthal’s funeral, could have given the family Sapien clothing for the burial. That’s a possibility right?
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Interesting…
Technically the left picture is not a photograph. But that’s incredibly interesting. Can you cite somewhere that talks about this finding? That’s a heck of a lot of jewerly.
No? I’m very interested. Where does it say that Jewelry this complex was found on a certified neanderthal?
Thanks.
Is a “certified neanderthal” anything like “certifiably neanderthal”? My dorm neighbor in college was of the latter type.
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I bet the Neanderthals had better sense than to buy those new jeans that already have holes torn in them.
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According to Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah,” everyone in Noah’s erra wore pretty cool pants too.
But @Patrick,
Seriously. Where did you get this picture from and what evidence is it referring to?
Hey!!
@Mark This is not a pure bred Neanderthal according to research. This image is an artist reconstruction of one of several burials in Sungir, Vladimir Oblast in Russia. It is about 35k years old. The individuals here likely had Neanderthal grandparents. The skull morphology looks very Neanderthal to me as well at least from my amateur assessment. Methinks that Neanderthals were probably about as intelligent as modern humans, though more isolated and less prone to innovation being adequately adapted to such a harsh ecology. I’d have to imagine they planned extensively for the seasons, likely relying on traditions from their ancestors/elders. Neanderthals did adorn themselves and clothing with ornaments like shells and bones and beads. They were people, probably a lot more like modern Europeans than we like to realize. I think the last magnetic pole shift event coinciding with their supposed extinction would reveal a little about why they ‘disappeared’ genetically if one wants to go down that rabbit hole. But alas, this is an old thread, and no one will read this comment.
Also I’m new to this site. Made my account to reply to this. It’s funny to see so many orthodox and catholic brothers (Catholic convert here). Is there a reason why? Or is there a traditional Catholic/Orthodox subculture that is interested in Neanderthals.
Some links:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03335-3#:~:text=Unlike%20two%20previously%20studied%20individuals,mixing%20could%20have%20been%20common.
Adornments told about the culture of prehistoric people | EurekAlert!
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Welcome to PS, Jack.
Interesting question. I am neither so I don’t know—but I see that the posts from 2019 could give that impression.
My maternal grandfather was a bit of a Neanderthal—and to hear him tell it the great “pole shift event” was FDR’s New Deal. It did not lead to his extinction but shoveling snow out of his driveway on a very cold day definitely did.
I would be curious to hear from @jeffb on how Neanderthal finds of this sort should be understood in a Young Earth Creationist framework.
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Haha I’m glad your grandpa made it. I would check out the pole shift event it’s super interesting and we are undergoing one now (slow process we hope). It led to increased solar radiation, DNA damage, etc. that likely impacted lighter skinned people at higher latitudes (Neanderthals) disproportionately. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adq7275
As for trying to harmonize these evidences with young earth creationism, the most compelling argument I’ve heard for a young earth has been that we don’t necessarily know if radio carbon methods are valid, since the decay rate of the carbon isotope in question has only been observed over the past century. Maybe it’s possible this decay rate changes either from external factors (solar/cosmic radiation maybe?) or innate effects.
I guess I wouldn’t be too concerned about the existence of Neanderthals affecting a young earth position per se since they weren’t really a separate species of humans (all people alive today outside Africa are their descendants at least partially). I’m not a young earth creationist but am sympathetic to the position, I remain agnostic on the matter primarily because I’ve seen how much the scientific position on human origins have changed just with my short 24 years on this planet.
Have a great day Allen!