Scientists discover Neanderthal skeleton that hints at flower burial

[FfFfFfFF 58,135]

A Neanderthal skeleton unearthed in an Iraqi cave, already famous for fossils of these cousins of our species, is providing fresh evidence that they buried their dead – and intriguing clues that flowers may have been used in such rituals.

[...]

Clusters of flower pollen were found in soil samples associated with one of the skeletons, a discovery that prompted scientists involved in that research to propose that Neanderthals buried their dead and conducted funerary rites with flowers.

That hypothesis helped change the prevailing view at the time of Neanderthals as dimwitted and brutish, a notion increasingly discredited by new discoveries. Critics cast doubt on the “flower burial,” arguing the pollen could have been modern contamination from people living in the cave or from rodents or insects. But Shanidar Z’s bones, which are believed to be the top half of a partial skeleton unearthed in 1960, were found in sediment containing ancient pollen and other mineralised plant remains, reviving the possibility of flower burials.

Neanderthals inhabited Eurasia from the Atlantic coast to the Ural Mountains from about 400,000 years ago until a little after 40,000 years ago, disappearing after our species established itself in the region.

Source and full article: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/feb/18/scientists-discover-neanderthal-skeleton-in-an-iraqi-cave

[Matti 91]

My religion teacher in 4th grade would go nuts over this

[Guest]

 

[Eighteen 5,430]

this brings up a lot of existential feelings in me

[TimisaMonster 31,073]

Wow... that would be pretty profound

[Lilmonzter 2,864]

Redemption for Neanderthal after being wrongly accused of being dumblings