Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art

by Rebecca Wragg Sykes

In total, the Neanderthals endured for an astonishing 350,000 years, until we lose sight of them – or, at least their fossils and artefacts – somewhere around 40 ka.

That any bones at all survive over such immense timescales is astonishing, and even more so the fragile bodies of babies.

There’s even recycling evidence: the Aranbaltza stick looks like it was chopped off a longer object – perhaps a spear – while some of the Poggetti Vecchi sticks may be discarded, worn-down tools.