Dive into the era where Homo sapiens shared the Earth with his strong cousin, the Neandertalian, during the Middle Paleolithic and early Upper Paleolithic.
🧬 Characteristics of Neanderthalians:
• Robust physics, suitable for cold climate
• Cranial capacity slightly higher than Homo sapiens
• Advanced control of fire and stone tools
🏞️ Lifestyle:
- Nomadic hunter-gatherers
- Habitat in caves and rock shelters
- Life in small family groups
🛠️ Innovations and Culture:
• Advanced tools (Levallois technique)
• Funeral practices
• Rupest art and ornaments (debatetu)
🤝 Interactions with Homo sapiens:
• Coexistence for several thousand years
• Probable cultural and technological exchanges
• Certified genetic crosses (1-4% Neanderthal DNA in current non-Africans)
🌟 Inheritance and disappearance:
• Last traces: ~28 000 years B.C.E.
• Possible causes of extinction: climate change, competition with Homo sapiens
• Contribution to modern human genetic heritage
