Neanderthal Culture

 

When compared with the traditions and beliefs of today’s cultures, the Neanderthals share several similarities.                         Sites have been uncovered that reveal family graves, much like the designated grave plots of current families. Discoveries of different types of pollen indicate that they buried their dead with flowers. In studying the surrounding ground of the strata, no other such ancient flower remains were found which rules out the possibility that the flowers grew there naturally. Also, it appears that the Neanderthals believed in life after death. Locations have been found with     evidence of food and tools buried with the corpse.               Another similarity would be the capabilities of speech. With the discovery of a hyoid bone in Kebara Cave in Israel, scientists have been able to reconstruct the Neanderthal esophagus and deduce that they could indeed speak. The space between the tongue and the throat was smaller than our own, which indicates that they communicated with high pitched, nasally voices contrary to the brutish tones that they are attributed in sci-fi flicks.  To date: Five different musical instruments have been associated with Neanderthals including a cave bear-bone flute from Slovenia. Discoveries of Neanderthal cave paintings have also been published, as well as small, carved figurines. Often there exists uncertainty as to which art belongs to Cro-Magnons and/or Neanderthals.	Specialists have suggested that these people sported a form of clothing. In comparing the body heat emitted to the surface area of skin exposed, it has been hypothesized that they must have worn clothing in order to stay warm in the cold, frigid climates they endured.