The fear of becoming a minority in their own country within a short period of time due to 'mass immigration' is something that populist politicians often manage to put to good use. However, according to two British archaeologists, this is exactly what happened to the Neanderthals some 40,000 years ago. They publish their findings in the scientific journal Science.
For nearly 300,000 years, the Neanderthals ruled much of Europe and Asia. Until their dominant position was taken over in a relatively short time about 30,000 years ago by the Homo sapiens from Africa. , of which modern humans are also a variant. However, how the Neanderthals could disappear so suddenly is still one of the big questions in the evolutionary history of the human species.
According to emeritus professor Paul Mellars and PhD student Jennifer French - both at the University of Cambridge - the Neanderthals were confronted with an unprecedented mass immigration of Homo sapiens around the time of their sudden disappearance. in their habitats.
From extensive statistical research into archaeological finds in the southern French region of Perigord – an area where many remains of both Homo sapiens if Neanderthals are found – it turns out that within a short period of time at least ten times as many newcomers arrived as there were Neanderthals.
The analyzes of Mellars and French show that both the number of places where Homo sapiens lived when their size increased abruptly from 40,000 years ago. Large amounts of stone tools have also been found, dating from the same period. According to the researchers, this indicates that the Homo sapiens established themselves in larger and closer social ties in a short time.
The Neanderthals, who traditionally inhabited the area, were soon outnumbered. Conflicts arose over the areas where the most food and fuel could be found. Given the higher degree of social control and the numerical advantage of their new competitors, the Neanderthals soon had to give up the most livable areas. They were forced to retreat to inhospitable regions, where they were unable to support themselves. Within a few thousand years, this species of man was finished.
Superior techniques
Mellars and French's research also indicates that the Homo sapiens possessed superior hunting techniques and tools. For example, spears were found that were considerably longer and sharper than the spears used by the Neanderthals.
In addition, Homo sapiens developed more sophisticated methods to process and store food during long, harsh winters. Traces have even been found showing that groups of Homo sapiens were able to trade with other, related groups in order to exchange surplus food for scarce products.
“Thanks to these technological and social innovations, the Homo sapiens settle and maintain themselves in much larger numbers in Europe than the Neanderthals,” says Professor Mellar.
To what extent the Homo sapiens actually had a more developed brain than the Neanderthals is still up for debate. However, complex artifacts such as painted stones, beads and cave drawings appeared quite suddenly around 40,000 years ago. Symbols have also been found on stone and ivory tools. These may indicate a primitive form of written communication.
- The Death of Neanderthals in Europe (Knowledge Link Article)
- Neanderthals Were Not Stupid (Knowledge Link Article)
- Sex between humans and Neanderthals (Knowledge link article)
- Neanderthals also had large brains (Knowledge link article)
- Krijn, the first Dutch Neanderthal (Knowledge link article)
- Evolution File (Knowledge Link File)
- The Evolution of Man (Knowledge Link Article)