Neanderthals: just a people group?
Neanderthals lived in Eurasia before and during the ice age. Their fossil remains were distinct
from those of other ancient people groups then and modern people today. Neanderthals seemed to have lived in small, isolated groups
that sheltered only in caves and under overhanging cliffs, although their building shelters elsewhere cannot be ruled out.
Evolutionary
anthropologists and artists, due to presumptions based on evolutionary bias portrayed Neanderthals as brutish, hump-backed, barrel-chested,
with low intelligence, lacking fine motor skills, and unable to speak.[1][2][3] All these presumptions have been disproved as more
Neanderthal skeletons and artifacts have been found. Why evolutionists pushed these ideas goes back to their assumption that man is
an animal that evolved originally from a single cell through various animal life forms advancing to become what man is today.
“Even
on the purely biological plane there is a wide, unbridgeable chasm between man and beast, as illustrated by the following four considerations:
1. The human brain possesses qualities ... that have no parallel in the animal world...
2. Man possesses the faculty
of speech...
3. Only man is fully bipedal...
4. Only man is able to express emotions e.g., joy,
sadness, hope, laughter, shyness). Some animals seem to have similar abilities, but they cannot be compared with human emotions.”[4]
Trying to make man an animal lacks scientific basis. Although man and mammals have many anatomical similarities (e.g., lungs, heart,
brain, mouth, bones), the evidence points to the uniqueness of man. Neanderthals possessed what makes man unique as will be demonstrated
in this article. Neanderthals and modern man (humans) are therefore cousins. Calling animals cousins of man is inappropriate. Likewise
placing man under the Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia is inappropriate. Better to place man under a new Kingdom: Homo
with only one species: Homo sapiens.
Today, the consensus among evolutionists is that Neanderthals and modern man split from
a common ancestor who they place hundreds of thousands of years ago.[5] [a] Biblical creationists recognize Noah as the common ancestor
who with his wife, three sons, and their wives, eight persons in all, survived on the ark a worldwide flood that killed all other
people. From the genealogy in the Bible, the worldwide flood occurred about 4,500 years ago.
Anatomy
Differences in Neanderthal anatomy
from modern man have been attributed to adaptations to the very cold climate they lived in, testosterone known to affect bones and
muscles [b], and growth hormones. [6][7] Neanderthal brow ridges may have become enormous to absorb intermittent chewing forces from
moderate to heavy foods as their face moved forward during aging. [8]
Typical Neanderthal anatomy was as follows:
· Distinct skulls
o “large cranial capacity, the average being as large as the average for modern humans;
o skull
shape low, broad, and elongated;
o rear of the skull rather pointed, with a bun;
o large, heavy browridges;
o low forehead;
o large, long faces with the center of the face jutting forward;
o weak, rounded chin” [9]
o heavy mandible that lacks chin eminence [10]
o large eye sockets [11]
o “piriform aperture (nose
hole) and nasal cavity are much wider and bigger than in modern humans.” [12]
o “Neanderthal children did not have
big projecting faces until they became older” [13]
· Brain size ranged “from about
1200 _ 1750 ml, and thus on the average about 100 ml larger than modern humans.” [14]
· Strong jaws and teeth [15]
· Teeth
o same number of teeth as modern humans
at age six [16]
o “front teeth were larger than those in modern humans, but the molars and premolars were of a similar
size.” [17]
· Hyoid bone is “indistinguishable from that of modern humans.” [18]
· Short and Stocky [19] with an estimated average height and weight for adults
o males – 5 ft 5 in, 172 lbs. [c]
o females – 5ft 1 in, 146 lbs.
· Unusually massive bones with “prominent bumps, ridges
and ledges” for “attachment of highly developed muscles.” [20]
· Thorax
o “Neanderthal thorax is about the same size as the human thorax, just wider at bottom.” [21]
o highly rounded ribs[22]
· Upright Posture (Bipedal)
o “sacrum – the bone that stabilizes the
pelvis – is tilted in the same manner as humans.” [23]
o “Neanderthals had a double s-shaped curve similar to humans, with
one curve in the neck and the other in the lower back.” [24]
o “Neandertals, when healthy, stood erect and walked
normally as modern humans do.” [25]
Were Neanderthals and modern man the same species?
According to the Biology Dictionary, “A species
is a group of organisms that share a genetic heritage, are able to interbreed, and to create offspring that are also fertile. Different
species are separated from each other by reproductive barriers.” [26] The taxonomic binomial classification for humans is Homo sapiens
where Homo means “human being” and sapiens means “discerning, wise and sensible.” All modern humans are classified as Homo sapiens[27] although our appearances such as the shape of skulls [28], body proportions, heights, shape of eyes, size of noses, amounts of
melatonin, etc. vary. None of these differences in anatomy are relevant in the determination of a species. In like manner, differences
in appearance do not make modern humans and Neanderthals separate species. The test is whether Neanderthals and modern man could interbreed
and have fertile offspring.
Neanderthals and Homo sapiens Eurasians interbred and had fertile offspring [29][30][31]
· “On average, Neanderthal DNA accounts for about 2% of the genetic makeup of people in Europe while in East Asia the proportion can
be as high as 4%” [32]
· “[T]oday, nearly all non-African humans carry traces of Neanderthal
DNA.” [33]
demonstrating they are of the same Homo sapiens species.
Prior to the DNA evidence, “the strongest evidence that Neandertals
were fully human and of our species is that at four sites people of Neandertal morphology and people of modern human morphology were
buried together. In all of life, few desires are stronger than the desire to be buried with one’s own people.” [34]
Neanderthal intelligence,
wisdom, and emotions
There is no evidence that Neanderthals were less intelligent or wise than modern humans. [35] “Neanderthals were
the cognitive equals of Homo Sapiens.” [36] Their cognitive abilities were demonstrated by:
· Their mastery of making and controlling fire including the use of hearths.
· Using
fire for light, protection, warmth, and cooking their food.
· One “study points to
cognitive complexity and the development of culinary cultures in which flavors were significant from a very early date.” [37]
· Engaging in making tools including those to make tools
o made lissoirs, specialized bone tools (found at two Neanderthal
sites). “This smoothing tool was used to make animal hides tougher and more impermeable.” [38]
o made sophisticated Mousterian
stone tools by flaking [39]
o tools included scrapers to clean animal hides and awls to poke holes, [40] spear points,
knives, pronged harpoons, and engraving tools [41]
· Manufacturing tar and using it
as an adhesive [42][43]
o evidence points to Neanderthals using tar to attach tools to handles
o tar handled
stone tool found [44]
o grips for hand tools out of a mixture of bitumen and ochre that would adhere to stone but not stick
to hands [45]
· Making simple clothes, blankets, and ponchos [46]
· Making and using string [47][48]
· Their remains showing “evidence of medical procedures
applied to crushed limbs, fractured skulls, and tooth abscesses.” [49]
· Evidence supporting
their self-medication for pain by chewing the bark of poplar trees that contains an aspirin like chemical and using the antibiotic
penicillin for infections [50][51]
· Evidence of long-term care. “We can’t imagine
[Shanidar I] being able to make much of a contribution to his group, but he was looked after for about 10 to 15 years.” [52]
· Dentistry
o using toothpicks [53]
o an artisan intricately carving “three sharp facets on the biting surface
of” the old man’s of La Chapelle-aux one remaining upper tooth [54]
· Deliberately
burying their dead. [55][56] Burying ritual included in some cases using flowers. [57][58], bones of animals, engraved bone, hematite
powder, elephant tusk, and mountain goat horns
· Their engaging in meaningful symbolism
in cave art paintings. [59] These paintings required organization in the preparation of pigments and lighting. [60] [61]
· A small four-inch-long flute from the thigh bone of a cave bear with four precisely bored holes on one side found in a Slovenian cave.[62]
· “[P]ainting perforated marine shells for body jewelry.” [63][64]
· Eagle talons that were probably arranged as an adornment. [65]
· Cosmetic yellow and
red pigments found in shells at Neanderthal dig sites in southern Spain. [66]
· Divided
“the cave into rooms, built wind breaks to keep the draft out, and strategically placed hearths for cooking and warmth.” [67]
· Designed wood only spears to kill at a distance. [68]
· Diet varied with the availability
of different types of food
o woolly rhinoceros and wild sheep (Belgium) [69][70]
o wooly mammoths (Belgium)[71]
o cave bears (Italy) [72]
o mushrooms, pine nuts, and moss (Spain) [73][74]
o wild nuts, grasses,
lentils, and wild mustard. (Iraq and Greece) [75]
Neanderthals had power to articulate and hear speech.
· “Virtual 3-D models of the ear structures of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals” indicate that Neanderthals hearing “closely mirrored that
of modern humans.” [76]
· “An analysis of a Neanderthal’s hyoid – a horseshoe-shaped structure
in the neck – suggests the species had the ability to speak. This had been suspected since the 1989 discovery of a Neanderthal hyoid
that looks just like modern human’s.” [77][d]
Conclusions
Neanderthals were a people group that had the same common ancestor as modern
humans. They had the same unique features that separate man from animals including being intelligent and wise, having faculty of speech,
being fully bipedal, and possessing human emotions. They interbred with modern man and had fertile offspring. Neanderthals were fully
man, Homo sapiens. As a distinct group, they died out, but they have many modern-day descendants.
Notes:
[a] Old earth evolutionary
dates are solely based on assumptions. See “Can radioactivity be used as a clock.”
[b] High testosterone can lead to increased bone
density and strength, promote bone growth, and reduce risk of fracture. [78] Testosterone “is crucial for developing and maintaining
muscle mass...” [79]
[c] The average height of Englishmen from 200-410 AD was 5 ft 5 in. [80]
[d] Kebara II had the only hyoid bone
ever found for a Neanderthal [81]
Photos:
(a) Johannes Maximilian, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons
(b) Claire Houck from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
(c) Muséum de Toulouse, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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[1] Wu, K., “Like Neanderthals,
early modern humans used their teeth as tools,” NOVA, November 27, 2019, Viewed Internet
[2] Dorey, F., “Homo neanderthalensis – The
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[3] Cassella, C., “Neanderthals Had Chests That Allowed Them to
Take Much Deeper Breaths Than Modern Humans,” Science Alert, October 31, 2018, Viewed Internet
[4] Werner, G., “Differences Between
Human Life and Animal Life,” Answers in Genesis, September 27, 2012, Viewed Internet
[5] “Neanderthal,” Wikipedia, Viewed Internet
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[6] Panacciulli, E., “Did Neanderthals Evolve to Live in Cold Climates?” Timothy S.Y. Lam Museum of Anthropology,
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[7] Lubenow, M., “Neanderthals: Our Worthy Ancestors,” Answers in Genesis,
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[8] Cuozzo, 216-217
[9] Lubenow, M., “Bones of Contention,” (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2004), 77
[10]
Phillips, D., “Neanderthals Are Still Human!” Acts & Facts, May 1, 2000, Institute for Creation Research, Viewed Internet
[11]
“Neanderthal Anatomy,” Wikipedia, Viewed Internet February 10, 2025
[12] Ibid.
[13] Cuozzo, 177
[14] Phillips, D., “Neanderthals Are
Still Human!” Acts & Facts, May 1, 2000, Institute for Creation Research, Viewed Internet
[15] “Neanderthal Anatomy”
[16] Handwerk,
B., “The Teeth of Early Neanderthals May Indicate the Species’ Lineage Is Older Than Thought,” Smithsonian Magazine, May 15, 2019,
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[17] Trinkaus, E., Williams, F, “Neanderthal,” Britannica, January 5, 2025, Viewed Internet
[18] Phillips, D., “Neanderthals
Are Still Human!” Acts & Facts, May 1, 2000, Institute for Creation Research, Viewed Internet
[19] “Neanderthal Anatomy”
[20] “Neanderthal
1,” Wikipedia, Viewed Internet February 10, 2025
[21] Cassella, C., “Neanderthals Had Chests That Allowed Them to Take Much Deeper
Breaths Than Modern Humans,” Science Alert, October 31, 2018, Viewed Internet
[22] “Neanderthal 1”
[23] Cassella, C., “We Have Been
Wrong About a Key Feature of Neanderthals’ Appearance,” Science Alert, March 1, 2019, Viewed Internet
[24] Ibid.
[25] Lubenow, “Bones
of Contention,” 53-54
[26] “Species,” Biology Dictionary, April 28, 2017, Viewed Internet
[27] Tattersall, I., “Homo sapiens,” Britannica,
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[28] Mann, M., “Types of Human Skull Shapes,” Sciencing, March 24, 2022, Viewed
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[29] Lubenow, “Neanderthals: Our Worthy Ancestors”
[30] Vernimmen, T., “Here’s What We Know About Neanderthals So Far,” Knowable
Magazine, reprinted Smithsonian, Science, December 6, 2023, Viewed Internet
[31] “Neanderthal,” Wikipedia, Viewed Internet January
21, 2025
[32] Hunt, K., “Why do some groups of people today have more Neanderthal DNA than others? A new study offers answers,” CNN
World, October 18, 2023, Viewed Internet
[33] Valich, L., “How Neanderthal DNA influenced human survival”, University of Rochester,
Viewed Internet February 15, 2025
[34] Lubenow, “Bones of Contention,” 254
[35] “Neanderthal Tools: Materials, Glue, String and Intelligence,”
Europe Facts and Details, Viewed Internet February 8, 2025
[36] Greshko, M., “World’s Oldest Cave Art Found – And Neanderthals Made
It,” National Geographic, February 22, 2018, Viewed Internet
[37] Germain, J., “Neanderthals Cooked Surprisingly Complex Meals,” Smithsonian
Magazine, November 30, 2022, Viewed Internet
[38] “Neandertools,” Answers Magazine, January 1, 2024, Viewed Internet
[39] “Homo neanderthalensis,”
Human Origins Program, Smithsonian Institution, Viewed Internet February 17, 2025
[40] Ibid.
[41] “Neanderthal Tools: Materials, Glue,
String and Intelligence,” Europe Facts and Details, Viewed Internet February 8, 2025
[42] Rincon, P., “Neanderthal ‘glue’ points to
complex thinking,” BBC, October 21, 2019
[43] Vernimmen
[44] Rincon, P., “Neanderthal ‘glue’ points to complex thinking,” BBC, October
21, 2019
[45] Williams, I., “Thought Neanderthals were stupid? Time for a rethink,” Metro, February 22, 2024, Viewed Internet
[46] “Neanderthal”
[47] Oard, M., “Neanderthals becoming more modern with time,” Journal of Creation 35(1):12-14, April 2021, Viewed Internet
[48] “Neanderthal
Tools: Materials, Glue, String and Intelligence,” Europe Facts and Details, Viewed Internet February 8, 2025
[49] Sanders, L., and
Carter, R., “The sophisticated Neandertal, Is The Flintstones a more accurate picture of Neandertals than evolutionary documentaries?”
Creation 42(1): 12-13, January 2020
[50] Briggs, H., “Neanderthals ‘self-medicated’ for pain”, BBC, March 8, 2017, Viewed Internet
[51]
“What did Neanderthals eat?” Australian Academy of Science, Viewed Internet February 24, 2025
[52] “Neanderthals nursed their sick
and injured back to health with ancient medicine,” CBC, October 26, 2018, Viewed Internet
[53] “Neanderthal Fossils Reveal Prehistoric
Dentistry,” Dentistry Today, June 29, 2017, Viewed Internet
[54] Cuozzo, 94
[55] “Special Neanderthal Update,” Creation 43(3):8-9, July
2021
[56] “Homo neanderthalensis,” Human Origins Program, Smithsonian Institution, Viewed Internet February 17, 2025
[57] Oard
[58] “Homo
neanderthalensis”
[59] Vernimmen
[60] Mahalekshmi, P., “Researchers Discover Paleolithic Cave Art Dated 66,000 Years Ago, Reveal Neanderthals
to Be the First Artists”, Knewz, February 6, 2025, Viewed Internet
[61] “Earliest cave paintings were made by Neanderthals,” University
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[62] Phillips, D., “Neanderthals Are Still Human!” Acts & Facts, May 1, 2000,
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[63] Oard
[64] Vernimmen
[65] Ibid.
[66] “Incorrect Neanderthal Stereotype,” News to
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[67] Sanders, L., and Carter, R., “The sophisticated Neandertal, Is The
Flintstones a more accurate picture of Neandertals than evolutionary documentaries?” Creation 42(1): 12-13, January 2020
[68] University
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[69] Vernimmen
[70]
“What did Neanderthals eat?” Australian Academy of Science, Viewed Internet February 24, 2025
[71] Lazaro, E., “Neanderthals Ate Rhinos,
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[72] Learn, J., “Neanderthals ambushed cave bears as they awoke
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[73] Vernimmen
[74] “What did Neanderthals eat?” Australian Academy
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[75] Germain, J., “Neanderthals Cooked Surprisingly Complex Meals,” Smithsonian Magazine,
November 30, 2022, Viewed Internet
[76] “Special Neanderthal Update,” Creation 43(3):8-9, July 2021
[77] Hogenboom, M., “Neanderthals
could speak like modern humans, study suggests,” BBC, Science, December 20, 2013, Viewed Internet
[78] Holland, M., “Understanding
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[79] Rojas-Zambrano, J., et al., “Benefits
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[80] “Highs and lows of an Englishman’s
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[81] Cuozzo, 253