Over four hundred Neanderthal fossils have been found since that discovery. More Neanderthal skeletons have been found than any other ancient man species. They inhabited Europe and parts of western Asia. Neanderthals physical traits are similar to other sub-arctic populations, suggesting that Neanderthals were adapted to cold climates. Neanderthals had short but robust builds and a large nose. The average Neanderthal stood only about five and a half feet tall. Also, their brains were ten percent larger than those of modern humans. They were very advanced for their time. A variety of sophisticated stone implements such as stone-flakes, hand axes, and spears have been made by the Neanderthals. They were excellent at hunting for game, which they cooked with yet another advance, fire. Lastly, they had ceremonies for burying the dead, which suggests that they had religious beliefs.
Important discoveries and advances made by the Neanderthals helped a few of our later ancestors to survive. The Neanderthals also started the belief in an afterlife and burial rituals. Neanderthals played an important role in modern humans' origin.
E urope
A sia
N omads
D eath rituals
E xcellent hunters
R eligious beliefs
T ools were sophisticated
H uman origin
A dapted to cold climates
L ived in Paleolithic Period
Racheal Carson
