Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art

By Rebecca Wragg Sykes (2020)

Bloomsbury Sigma

Book Review

This fascinating book summarizes all the most recent DNA evidence, isotope dating and high tech archeological layering to create a complex portrait of Neanderthal life. Sykes’ main premise is that Neanderthals were every bit as human as our own Homo sapiens species.

The Evolution of the Homo Species and Stone Tools

Homo erectus split off as a distinct hominin species 2-3 million year ago. The earliest evidence of stone tools dates from 3.3 million year ago. 2.5 million years ago. The first australopithecene* individuals acquired a knowledge of geometry necessary for flaking technology 2.5 million years ago. The earliest mass migration of Homo eretcus species from Africa to Eurasia occurred two million years ago.

The best available evidence indicates that Neanderthals became a distinct species between 400 and 450 thousands years ago. The absence of any remains after 40,000 BC suggests they became extinct after this date. Neanderthal remains are found as far north a the UK, as far south as the Middle East and as far east as Siberia. Neanderthals arrived in Europe around 45,000 year ago.

Diet

Neanderthals were much squatter and heavier than modern humans. Owing to the massive number of calories (3,000-7,000 per day) they required to maintain their weight, they had a preference for megafauna (mammoth, massive prehistoric horses, rhinoceros,** musk ox and aurochs***) when it was available. They also ate predators (especially hibernating bears), fish, birds, shellfish, rabbit, crab, tortoise, eel, dolphin, insect, a well as vegetables (sorrel, dock berries, fungi, roots, tuber, lichen, fruits, nuts, lentil, peas and bulbous barley). They carved digging sticks to harvest root vegetables. Both meat and vegetable required extensive processing and cooking, chores they shared among nomadic bands of 25 that followed migrating animals. The animal remains found with them indicate they used spears as their primary weapon, as well as cooperative effort to exhaust their prey.

Technology

Neanderthal teeth show a distinct pattern of wear suggesting both men and women used them extensively to process hides. They were also extremely skilled at producing specialized stone tools by hammering and flaking them. They also developed the technology to resharpen tools when they became dull. Their stone tools included axes, hammers and blades for butchering meat and processing skin for clothing and primitive shelters. They also carved tools from wood and bone and used sinews, tendons and plant fibers to fasten their blades to handles. Birch tar or pine resin fortified with bees wax was used as adhesive.

Interbreeding with Homo Sapiens

Existing remains suggest most lived into their forties, with some living to age 60. DNA studies indicate there was some in-breeding during periods of intense glaciation.

There is also clear evidence they interbred with Homo sapiens, which co-existed with Neanderthals between 100,000 and 40,000 years ago. Except in sub-Sarahan Africa where none is found, 1.8 – 2.6% of modern humans have some distinctively Neanderthal DNA. Indigenous Americans, Asians and Oceanians (including Australian aborigines) have one-fifth more Neanderthal DNA than other ethnic groups). Neanderthanls arived in Europe around 45,000 year ago.

It’s believed cimate stress and loss of animal food sources during a severe glacial period (45,000-11,700 BC) led to their ultimate demise

*Belonging to the species Australopithecus, one of the oldest primate species to walk upright.

**During the last 400,000 years, Europe experienced a tropical climate at least once during its interglacial periods.

***An auroch was a very large cow.