Neandertals: A History Retold

1056 Words5 Pages

Neandertals: A History Retold Myths and folklore have been perpetuated and handed down throughout time by our ancient ancestors and occurs quite commonly today. Usually, every time a tale is repeated it is altered and transformed into a slightly enhanced and more exaggerated form. There is a natural propensity of the brain that encourages humans to remember things that make a strong impression and to forget the less important details, all the while deifying or condemning, minimalizing or embellishing, and romanticizing or vilifying what was perceived. Unfortunately, these stories are not only pervasive in myth and folklore, but also have found their way in matters of fact such as scientific research. The Neandertal story has been shaped in this way for almost the last 150 years since their discovery. Our closest extinct cousins were proliferated in the science community as in superior beings who were primitive in nature, had no intellectual thought, art, culture, or language. Recently, archaeologists, palaeontologists, scientists, and anthropologists are re-examining the evidence and finding new clues that could help resolve the ongoing bitter disputes about Neandertals. Concealed deep in our …show more content…

Neandertal bodies were uniquely acclimated to the harsh environment of Eurasia making them the dominating species of the land and they were quite intelligent in their use of tool making, practiced forms of art and culture, engaged in ritualistic behaviour and