[Redwood71]

“Why do they always make Neanderthals ugly?”

Because they are different than us. And two things happen at that point, 1 - they create an appearance for people to mock, and 2 - people used their projection to insult people so they will be above them ion any way they can ponder. They aren’t around any more, so they are a tool. People are cruel. And in this case, stupid.

The Neanderthals built tools for protection like spears and used fire. And they didn’t have directions that could be accomplished by three year olds.

rwood

[Reily]

Also original Neanderthal depictions tended to emphasize the “otherness” of them. In realty you could dress the up and take them out to dinner. It would look like you had some short “tough guy” friends. They would have dominated collegiate wrestling!

[PapaBear3625]

In other facial reconstructions I've seen, if you put Neanderthals in modern clothing and gave a haircut, they would look like just another white person. Even the ugly faces up-thread, seem not much different from people I've sat next to on the train.

Faces Re-Created of Ancient Europeans, Including Neanderthal Woman and Cro-Magnon Man

Neanderthal woman