Neanderthals

Neanderthals are an extinct species of human that lived in Eurasia in the Pleistocene period, between 500,000 and 40,000 years ago. They are an important part of human evolution, as they are the closest extinct relatives of modern humans, Homo sapiens. Neanderthals were shorter and more robustly built than modern humans, with shorter limbs, larger hands and feet and larger noses. They are known to have used a variety of tools, including a range of spears and other weapons, and are believed to have cooked and eaten meat. Neanderthals were also capable of complex communication, and were the first species of human to intentionally bury their dead. Evidence suggests that Neanderthals were the first humans to paint and make musical instruments, suggesting a level of cultural complexity. Neanderthals are of great interest to archaeologists and anthropologists, as they provide insight into the human past and the evolution of our species.