TINSHEMET CAVE, ISRAEL—According to a statement released by the American Friends of Hebrew University, archaeological work in central Israel's Tinshemet Cave suggests that Homo sapiens and Neanderthals not only co-existed in the mid-Middle Paleolithic Levant, but even actively interacted by sharing technology, lifestyles, and burial customs. The cave is noteworthy for its wealth of archaeological materials from various hominin species dating to between 130,000 and 80,000 years ago, including burials—the first uncovered from this period in fifty years. The research team's goal was to ascertain the nature of Homo sapiens–Neanderthal relationships and whether they were contentious or amiable. By examining evidence of stone tool production, hunting strategies, and symbolic behavior, the researchers determined that these hominin species were engaged in meaningful interactions. The two groups seem particularly to have shared burial customs and rituals, such as the use of ocher and other mineral pigments as bodily decoration. The cluster of different human burials indicates that the cave was perhaps used as a cemetery or shared ceremonial space. Research team member and Hebrew University archaeologist Yossi Zaidner described the Middle Paleolithic Levant as a “melting pot” where different groups met and evolved together. “Our data show that human connections and population interactions have been fundamental in driving cultural and technological innovations throughout history,” he said. Read the original scholarly article about this research in Nature Human Behaviour. To read more about Neanderthals' treatment of their dead, go to "Z Marks the Spot."
