Neanderthal skeleton reveals violence and care
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Archaeologists in Iraq discovered the 75,000-year-old partial skeleton of a Neanderthal, known as Shanidar A, showing evidence of severe injuries alongside signs of long-term care.
The remains, recovered from Shanidar cave, include a hand, ribs, a shoulder blade, and teeth. Researchers determined the individual lived to around 45 years old, which was a long lifespan for Neanderthals. Shanidar A suffered a broken jaw and a split tooth that caused significant pain and difficulty eating.
The tooth had hardened plaque covering it, indicating the individual survived for a considerable time after the injury, likely with assistance from their community. The skeleton also contained a shoulder blade pierced by a wooden spear, an injury that probably caused fatal damage to the lungs and blood vessels. Emma Pomeroy at the University of Cambridge suggests this combination of injuries and evidence of healing challenges the common view of Palaeolithic life as simply peaceful or brutish.
Palmira Saladié at the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution notes that Neanderthals, like modern humans, displayed a range of behaviors, including both violence and compassion. The team published their findings in Scientific Reports.
