How did the last Neanderthals live?

Archaeology via BBC Future ^ | January 29, 2020 | By Melissa Hogenboom

[Bob Ireland]

In many ways, the last surviving Neanderthals are a mystery. But four caves in Gibraltar have given an unprecedented insight into what their lives might have been like.

Forty thousand years ago in Europe, we were not the only human species alive – there were at least three others. Many of us are familiar with one of these, the Neanderthals.

Fossil evidence shows that, towards the end, the final few were clinging onto survival in places like Gibraltar.

In recognition of this, Gibraltar received Unesco world heritage status in 2016. ... "They weren't just surviving," the Gibraltar museum's director of archaeology Clive Finlayson tells me of its inhabitants.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"It was in some way Neanderthal city," he says. "This was the place with the highest concentration of Neanderthals anywhere in Europe."

Clive, along with his wife Geraldine and son Stewart, has been excavating these caves for many years. All three are scientists.

While the front part of the cave is relatively open the back is darker and splits off into several chambers. The caves remain cool in the summer and slightly warm in the colder months.

Remains from the cave suggest that they exploited seafood and marine mammals. This is unsurprising given new evidence published in January 2020 that suggests they could swim. There is even evidence that they hunted dolphins, says Clive Finlayson. How they did so remains unclear, but we do know they hunted – or scavenged – large game like woolly mammoths, woolly rhinos, deer and ibex. (Read about the drowned landscape where Neanderthals lived.)

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[Bob Ireland]

Neanderthal Beach

[Bob Ireland]

Ping

[mountainlion]

So what is the definition of Human anyway?

[rktman]

Solar and wind?

[BenLurkin]

They dined out a lot...

[BBQToadRibs]

Ride together, die together, Bad Boys 4 life.

[Sacajaweau]

Why do they always make Neanderthals ugly? Just artistic license?

[Bob Ireland]

***what is the definition of Human anyway?***

I'm not sure that I know any...

[BlueLancer]

[workerbee]

I don’t know but I bet they all used the right bathrooms.

[central_va]

Genus Homo ( yes homo, but not as in Buttgig )

[paterfamilias]

“So what is the definition of Human anyway?”

Any species of the genus Homo.

The neanderthals were Homo neanderthalis.

We are Homo sapiens.

[Bob Ireland]

***They dined out a lot...***

But no food on their plates... perhaps that was their problem... A prehistoric Michael Bloomberg limited where they could eat?

[central_va]

Don’t forget Homo Erectus! Tee hee tee hee.

[M Kehoe]

I’ve been called a Neanderthal before.

Many times.

5.56mm

[Bob Ireland]

***Why do they always make Neanderthals ugly?***

Only ugly to you. Gork thinks they look great!

[Delta 21]

They damn sure didnt enjoy reclining in a Lazy~Boy on a cold windy February day, surfing the internet and enjoying an adult beverage. My clan woulda left me for saber tooth bait long ago.

[Bob Ireland]

***I’ve been called a Neanderthal before***

Think what their future might have been if they had 5.56mm...
Howdy! Hope you are well. :)

[Bob Ireland]

***My clan woulda left me for saber tooth bait long ago***

LOL!

[Long Jon No Silver]

Beem awhile