The Archaeological Evidence for the Lives of Neanderthals, and the Reasons for Their Extinction - Essay Example

Discuss the Archaeological Evidence for the Lives of Neanderthals, and the Reasons for Their Extinction Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Archaeological Evidence for the Lives of Neanderthals 3 Reasons behind the Extinction of Neanderthals 6 Conclusion 8 References 9 Bibliography 11 Introduction Since the formation of life on earth, the current biological cycles have passed through many ecological transformations to take the shape it has today. In this context, the evolution of modern human beings was recognised to be the most significant transformation on earth. The birth of Homo sapiens has also undergone several transformations, as common in almost every species on earth. An example to such transformation was the rise and extinction of Homo-Neanderthals, who are recognised as one of the most interesting as well as significant species in this world – being the closest relatives of modern humans. Similar to the many unrevealed mysteries about the phase-by-phase evolution of the modern earth, the birth and the extinction of Neanderthals have also attracted considerable attention from the archaeologists (Mellars, 2004). While many speculations have been made regarding the said species, the actual fact that might have led to their extinction is still obscure. Understanding this particular gap, the principle objective of this study is to discuss the most possible reasons to the extinction of Neanderthals, with evidences related to their lives. Archaeological Evidence for the Lives of Neanderthals Neanderthals are often said to have developed as a sub-species of Homo Erectus, which also had another stream of Homo Sapiens, which makes Neanderthals the closest relatives of modern humans. They had weak chin, a protruding jaw and a receding forehead, which was probably to support their larger brain and balance their heavy body shape. Undoubtedly, as many other species those existed during the ice age, Neanderthals also had their body covered with a heavy coat of hairs. Nevertheless, being the closest relatives to Homo Sapiens, the Neanderthals gradually developed their lifestyle in an advance form, with the use of caves, stone built weapons and clothes made of animal skin (Hirschler, 2014). The extinction of Neanderthals has been one of the most debated subjects among modern historians. As per the modern archaeologists, Neanderthals lived approximately 300,000 years ago. Contentiously though, historians assume that Neanderthals primarily lived in the regions of Middle East, Europe as well as in Centrals Asia, as these are places where the fossils of these species were found. Evaluating a large number of archaeological evidences reveal that there are numerous innovative as well as interesting facts related to this particular species those raised significant questions as to the actual causes of their extinction. However, mainstream archaeologists agree to the conception that Neanderthals originated in the period of Stone Age and had surprising similarities with Homo sapiens (Seawright, 2009). As per a wide number of archaeological database, Neanderthals have been described as the major influencers of the Palaeolithic Period. It has also been found that Neanderthals had major contribution in cultivating the ignition of several revolutions in the world society. Evidences gathered through archaeological studies evidence huge information relating to the lifestyle of Neanderthals, which describes that Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans are very closely related with each other. However, there are few differences found in the skeletal morphology of the modern humans and the ancient Neanderthals, which proved as a key influencer for classifying the differences between the two species (Burke, 2012). Neanderthals, although showed astonishing similarities in their Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and that of the modern humans, they possessed many physical differences, including the architecture of their skull and post-cranial skeletal proportions. During the period of late Palaeolithic Era, Neanderthals were responsible for upbringing modernism in the Stone Age. It was principally as Neanderthals followed different types of living patterns in their nuclear families. It was thus that in some regions, Neanderthals were more advanced as compared to those in other regions. As a result, in some regions they used to live in the caves while in other regions, Neanderthals were also found to live on the branches of trees (Than, 2010). Evidences suggest that to help them in their hunting excavations, Neanderthals were also capable to develop weapons as well as tools made of stones, woods, antlers as well as of bones. As apparent, Neanderthals were basically hunters in nature, showing a behaviour of hunting as well as foraging for foods in different places. Although evidences to suggest if Neanderthals has territorial divisions such as other species of that era and whether they migrated to different places are scarce and unreliable, the obtained data rationalises that they used to hunt for foods in small groups, which at times also played a crucial role in the formation of their nuclear families in distinct places. They not only showed care towards others, but also had a hierarchical system or order in their families to be guided by the most superior in terms of age. As Neanderthals was used to bury the dead body of their family members, it is also likely that they practiced rituals too, as principles to shape their lifestyles (Than, 2010). However, debates have been unending relating to the abilities of the Neanderthals. As per the large numbers of archaeological evidences, the Neanderthals developed many qualities relating to music, art as well as adaptabilities such as use of animal skin for their clothes. They also had their more complex language to express themselves and communicate (Speth, 2006). Nevertheless, whether Neanderthals knew how to use fire is a debated issue till date. Reasons behind the Extinction of Neanderthals It is often debated that Neanderthals began to go extinct during the starting phase of the upper Stone Age. According to modern archaeologists, the extinction of Neanderthals is regarded as one of the most intriguing and mysterious happenings in the course of evolution of modern humans. The actual debate is related with the identification of the original species of Neanderthals, who appeared to be physically shorter than the modern humans, with wider noses and larger brains. The exact reasons behind the extinction of the Neanderthals are still unknown, as evidences have been scarce and possibilities of many causes to same persists, when considering the Stone Age period (Burke, 2006). According to the theoretical evidences emphasising the weather conditions of the Stone Age, the gradual as well as drastic climate transformations have been recognised to be one of the most significant causes behind the extinction of Neanderthals. Concerning the same context, scholars have also argued that Neanderthals were getting extinct due to dietary deficiencies. On the other hand, few scholars have also theorised their suspects over the statement that the humans were responsible behind the extinction of the Neanderthals, who were by the time more advanced and interbred within each other, which seldom produced offspring but rather obstructed the life chain of Neanderthals (Klein, 2003). As per the recent hypothesises that has indicating towards totally different reasons of extinction of Neanderthals, few scholars have been with the view that Neanderthals were not extinct but they simply interbred with humans, which steadily led to their demise from earth. Adding to these suppositions, a few scholars of the modern archaeology stream have inferred that the Neanderthals may have died being incapable to adapt changes and protect themselves with equal or better mechanism as compared to their closest relatives – the Homo Sapiens. It was due to this particular reason that the Neanderthals failed to harness the power of fire to protect themselves from wild, to cook food for themselves and thus survive on wider options of eatables and to keep themselves warm. More specifically, Neanderthals failed to accept the power of fire unlike the humans were are able to do and consume it through food that would have helped them in better nutrition and kept them secure from various diseases. The use of fire during the cooking process has been providing the calories to the body, which might have become a major reason to the rapid development of humans and the extinction of Neanderthals (Pettitt, 2002). It must be ascertained in this context that the approximately 40,000 years ago, the Neanderthals first became extinct from the European region. In other regions as well, the population of Neanderthals were diminishing due to climatic changes, high mortality rates caused by diseases and their inadaptability to fire. Another reason behind the extinction of Neanderthals, during the time mentioned, has also been asserted as the lack of proper as well as enough food in the region, climatic effects as well as violent attacks by modern humans. To be summarised, the causes to the extinction of Neanderthals majorly include, birth complications due to interbreeding with humans, endemic diseases, genetic diseases as well as defects, poisons consumed through uncooked food, inhalation as well as natural disasters and attacks by animal predators and humans gradually leading to the scarcity of habitable places for the species . Besides, those reasons behind the extinction of the Neanderthals, evidences reveal that there were two major volcanic eruptions in the region of Europe, which might have been a major cause for the complete extinction of Neanderthals (Sørensen, 2009). Conclusion As majorly accepted, Neanderthals were among the closest related spices of human beings. Notably, the studies conducted with emphasis to their lifestyle reveals that the Neanderthals were on their path of development, as they practiced complex social systems formed with nuclear families, knew the use of animal skin as clothes to keep them warm, hunt with stone built weapons and took care of their elders or those who were deficient to care for themselves. They also had rituals practiced, as they used to bury their dead relatives. However, they were incapable of adapting to change as easily as their closest relatives of the Stone Age era could do. For instance, they lacked efficiency in taming fire making them prone to diseases transmitted through uncooked food, higher rate of mortality owing to attacks by wild as well as humans and interbreeding with humans that further increased infant mortality rates and genetic disorders among the Neanderthals. Hence, it can be concluded that there was not one but many causes, which led to the complete extinction of Neanderthals approximately 40,000 years ago. References Burke, A., 2002. The View from Starosele: Faunal Exploitation at a Middle Palaeolithic Site in Western Crimea. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, Vol. 10, pp.325-335. Burke, A., 2012. Spatial Abilities, Cognition and the Pattern of Neanderthal and Modern Human Dispersals. Quaternary International, Vol. 247, pp. 230-235. Costamagno, S. & et. al. 2006. Les Pradelles (Marillac-le-Franc, France): A mousterian reindeer hunting camp? Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Vol. 25, pp. 466-484. Errico, F. & et. al., 2003. Archaeological Evidence for the Emergence of Language, Symbolism, and Music—an Alternative Multidisciplinary Perspective. Journal of World Prehistory, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 1-70. Gilligan, I., 2013. Neanderthal Extinction and Modern Human Behaviour: The Role of Climate Change and Clothing. World Archaeology Vol. 39, No.4, pp. 499-514. Hirschler, B., 2014. Our Life with the Neanderthals Was No Brief Affair. Article. [Online] Available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/20/us-science-neanderthal-idUSKBN0GK1US20140820 [Accessed April 14, 2015]. Klein, R. G., 2003. Whither the Neanderthals? Perspectives, Vol. 299, pp.1525-1527. Mellars, P., 2004. Neanderthals and the Modern Human Colonization of Europe. Department of Archaeology, Cambridge University, pp. 461-465. Roberts, D., 2013. In What Ways Were Neanderthals Different From Modern Humans? Publications, pp. 1-11. Seawright, C. 2009. What does the archaeological record reveal about the behavioural repertoire of the Neanderthals? Theme Stream, pp.1-12. Speth, J. D., 2006. Housekeeping, Neandertal-Style Hearth Placement and Midden Formation in Kebara Cave (Israel). Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan, pp. 171-188. Sørensen, B., 2009. Demography and the extinction of the European Neanderthals. Department of Environmental, Social and Spatial Change, Roskilde University, pp. 1-16. Than, T., 2010. Neanderthals, Humans Interbred—First Solid DNA Evidence. National Geographic News, pp. 1-4. Zilhao, J., 2007. The Emergence of Ornaments and Art: An Archaeological Perspective on the Origins of “Behavioral Modernity”. Journal of Archaeological Research. pp. 1-54. Bibliography Burke, A., 2006. Neanderthal settlement patterns in Crimea: a landscape approach. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 510-523. Finlayson, C. & Carrion, J.S., 2007. Rapid ecological turnover and its impact on Neanderthal and other human populations. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Vol. 22, No. 4, pp 213-222. Langley, M.C., & et. al., 2008. Behavioural complexity in Eurasian Neanderthal populations: a chronological examination of the archaeological evidence. Cambridge Archaeological Journal Vol.18, No. 3, pp. 289-307. Shea, J. J., 2008. Transitions or turnovers? Climatically-forced extinctions of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals in the east Mediterranean Levant. Quaternary Science Reviews, Vol. 27, No. 23, pp. 2253-2270. Read More