Introduction
The Neanderthals have been classified by anthropologists as a type of extinct species of archaic beings in a human-like form and belong to the genus Homo. They are believed to have inhabited the regions of Eurasia during the past four centuries and became extinct 40000 years ago. Research holds that the earliest fossils of Neanderthals that were discovered in Europe date back to more than four hundred years ago.
The Neanderthals are believed to have spread to the South Western and Central parts of Asia. Unlike human beings, Neanderthals got characterized by shorter legs and more prominent body structures. This is believed to have been their way of adapting to the icy climatic conditions. Research holds that there has been substantial evidence for the alleged mixture between structurally modern human beings and the Neanderthals (Clive, 2016, p. 95). Genomes belonging to all the modern populations excluding the populations of sub-Saharan Africans have reflected on this assumption. This, therefore, poses the almost definite possibility that there was interbreeding between this species and modern human beings immediately after the most recent out of Africa' migration. That aside, it has become a significant concern to indeed find out the reasons behind the extinction of the Neanderthals; a unique type of species that once inhabited certain parts of the world.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Anatomy
The anatomy of the Neanderthals gets differentiated from that of humans in the sense that their morphological characteristics especially on the skull, characterized by numerous aspects were more distinct and had a much stronger body structure. They had shorter arms and legs, wide ribs which were barrel-shaped, chins which were much reduced in size, broad nose, sloping forehead, taller and more extensive compared with the Homo sapiens (Clive, 2016, p. 95). The Neanderthal cranium is said to have been more elongated compared to that of the Homo sapiens. In terms of strength, Neanderthals are said to have been stronger compared to modern human beings, as they had stronger arms and legs.
Cultural features
So far, it has not been established whether the Neanderthals created adornments and art. Most research experts on this field believe that Neanderthals had the capability of symbolic thought, thus their ability to make Neanderthal art and structures (Bar-Yosef, 2013, p.14). The Neanderthals are believed to have made to have been feather pluckers and are said to have been accustomed to wearing bird feathers. Some scratches which were found in the floors of caves of Gorham’s cave are believed to be Neanderthal art.
Reasons for the extinction of the Neanderthals
It is with substantial evidence that the cause of extinction of many species both today and in the past is the changes in ecological conditions. For our case study, Neanderthals are presumed to have gone extinct due to competition and the changes in the ecological conditions of the places they are believed to have inhabited.
Neanderthals were structured in such a way that they could be able to hunt huge animals for food from their era. However, due to the ecological changes, those animals became extinct, and as a result, the Neanderthals became prone to starvation.
It is also presumed that Neanderthals faced competition from Homo sapiens in the sense that modern Humans were more networked in terms of trade, unlike the Neanderthals (Clive, 2016, p. 95). This served as an added advantage to the Homo sapiens in periods where climatic conditions would change as they would easily adapt to these changes compared to Neanderthals who could not adapt to these changes in looking for food (Bar-Yosef, 2013, p.14). The Neanderthals would, therefore, fall victims for starvation due to the existing competitive environment.
In terms of the adaptive features of the Neanderthals, they had various structural features in their bodies that would aid them to cope with the cold environments. They, however, had not created useful technology that would help them cope with these harsh climatic conditions more efficiently, unlike the Homo sapiens who had developed various skills such as sewing using needles they made for themselves, to make clothes (Harvati, 2016, p. 6). Besides, the Homo sapiens also had weapons that would help them hunt for food. Neanderthals, on the other hand, did not.
Neanderthals are also believed to have become extinct due to their replacement by the Homo sapiens due to their inability to fully adapt to the ecological changes in the environment (Clive, 2016, p. 95). Homo sapiens are believed to have moved into the areas inhabited by the Neanderthals thereby replacing them (Harvati, 2016, p. 6). Conflicts are said to have arisen between the two species hence the displacement of the weaker species-Neanderthals. The interbreeding between Homo sapiens and the Neanderthals is also believed to have been the reason behind the extinction of the Neanderthals as the species were believed to have been absorbed by modern humans gradually.
In conclusion, Neanderthal extinction is majorly based on the fact that they might have succumbed to starvation due to the changes in the ecological conditions of their habitats which rendered the animals they preyed on extinct. These climatic changes also made it harder for the Neanderthals to adapt due to the competition they were exposed to by the Homo sapiens who were equipped with several skills they could use in hunting and making clothes.
Works Cited
Bar-Yosef, Ofer. "Neanderthals and Modern Humans Across Eurasia." Dynamics of Learning in Neanderthals and Modern Humans Volume 1 , vol. 2, no. 45, 2013, pp. 7-20.
Finlayson, Clive. "Comparative behavior and ecology of Neanderthals and Modern Humans." Neanderthals and Modern Humans , vol. 2, no. 43, 2016, pp. 94-134
Harvati, K., and T. Harrison. "Neanderthals revisited." Neanderthals Revisited: New Approaches and Perspectives , 2016, pp. 1-7
