Course:ARCL140 Summer2020/TermProject Group28

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Evidence of Burial Practices in Neanderthal Groups

CONTRIBUTORS & ROLES

Site 1: Rebecca Xie

Site 2: Danni Olusanya

Site 3: Veronica Cheng

Site 4: Dianna Zhao

MAP

Site Name Coordinates
Dederiyeh Cave 36.24° N, 36.52° E
Arene Candide 44.16° N, 8.32° E
La Chapelle aux Saints 44.98° N, 1.71° E
Shanidar Cave 36.48° N; 44.14° E

INTRODUCTION

Perceptions surrounding life and death are integral to the way we interact as human beings, and burial practices are immensely significant to such cultural understandings. Through the analysis of Neanderthal burial practices, it is arguable that humans were not the first and only species to perform these rituals. By understanding burial practices as an essential evolutionary milestone in hominin evolution, modern humans are able to locate and reconstruct parts of our origin. It also helps explain responses to death and the cultural practices that have become associated with it. Furthermore, the special interest to bury deceased members of the species reflects the expansion of cognitive development in human ancestors to be able to comprehend and express abstract thought such as spirituality. Despite popular misconceptions of Neanderthals as simple-minded brutes, burial practices require complex and meaningful processes which were solely practiced as a spiritual or symbolic expression rather than providing any particular survival advantage. This distinction shows how ancestral human species evolved practices pertaining to behaviour that stimulates the mind rather than engaging in acts of survival.

The following sites contain evidence illustrating examples of how Neanderthals across various regions have navigated the disposing of the deceased through intentional burials:

  1. Within the Dederiyeh Cave in Syria, two near-complete skeletons of Neanderthal infants were recovered in constructed burial pits, which also contained several materialistic items that may have been placed for symbolic purposes[1]. Infant bones are particularly fragile and susceptible to mild destructive processes, and the remarkable preservation of such articulate infant skeletons are therefore attributed to their deliberate burials[2].
  2. In the Arene Candide cave, located in Northwest Italy, up to 17 bodies were excavated, making it Europe's largest Pleistocene Cemetery.[3] One of the most prominent bodies that was found was buried alongside materials such as chalk and shells.[4]
  3. In the Dordogne region of south-central France, the first near-complete skeletal remains of a Neanderthal were found. Re-excavations of the site prove that the pit in which the fossil was found was intentionally dug up for burial purposes.[5] This initial discovery was one that prompted many others.
  4. In the Northeast side of Iraqi Kurdistan lies the Shanidar cave, a burial site home to skeletal remains of 10 Neanderthal bodies dated back to 60,000 years ago.[6] Within these remains includes the bones of an adult male that was intentionally put to rest alongside a variety of flowers native to the area, leading many researchers to speculate that he was either a shaman or medicine man of his time and therefore was buried as such.

SITE 1: Dederiyeh Cave

AUTHOR: Rebecca Xie

LOCATION: Dederiyeh Cave is found at the East boundary of the Afrin Valley in Syria, near the northern extremity of the Dead Sea rift. Located 400km North of Syria’s capital, Damascus, the cave has coordinates 36°24'N; 36°52'E[1].

AGE: As of 2017, the exact geologic age of the Dederiyeh Cave is unknown. However, some radiocarbon dates have been obtained from Late Epipaleolithic deposits, the oldest of which dates to approximately 13,000 BP. This likely places the geologic age of the cave well within the 15th millennium BP, or earlier[7].

Context

Dating back to at least 13,000 BP, Dederiyeh Cave sits at an altitude of 450m above sea level in the East Afrin Valley of Syria. The cave consists of a large chamber that is 50m deep and uniquely features two openings: a wide main entrance, and a natural chimney facing the sky at the rear of the cave[1]. The remains uncovered have indicated that the entire area had been occupied by dense populations throughout the Paleolithic period, reflecting the favourable conditions of the cave[7]. Up until 1999, the sedimentary fill of the Dederiyeh Cave was believed to consist of 12 geological layers of sedimentary deposits. Presently, there are 15 stratigraphic layers recognized, labelled from Layer 1 to Layer 15 (top to bottom)[8].

History

Dederiyeh Cave was discovered in 1987 during a survey in the Afrin valley under a Japan-Syria joint project[1]. Following its discovery, excavations between 1989 and 2011 carried by the Syro-Japanese mission have shown that the entire cave had been occupied throughout the Paleolithic period[7]. The rear of the cave under the natural chimney has been the main excavation area, where many hearths, carbonized plant remains, and plentiful skeletal remains have been uncovered[1].

Relevance

With a thousand bone fragments discovered and over a dozen skeletons partially reconstructed, Dederiyeh Cave has provided archaeologists with a wealth of Neanderthal remains since its discovery in 1987[1]. The most notable findings were the remarkably well-preserved infant burials of two Neanderthal children from different time periods, both of which were approximately two years in age.

A near-complete skeleton of the first Neanderthal infant (Burial No. 1) was discovered in 1993 in a shallow pit at the rear of the cave, roughly 1.5m below the surface in the geographic layer designated as Layer 11 [1][9]. Interpreted by archaeologists as a “burial pit”, the area was as a low, local depression dug for the corpse where the infant was laid “on its back with arms extended and legs flexed”, suggesting that the body had been intentionally buried. Near the cranial was a large slab of limestone along with a small triangular piece of flint placed where the infants’ heart was located[1]. While it is unclear whether these materials were placed for intentional symbolic or burial purposes, similar aspects of such burial were found upon the discovery of a second Neanderthal infant, suggesting early indications of deliberate infant burials.

In 1997, partial skeletal remains of a more recent Neanderthal infant (Burial No. 2) was found in a 25cm deep pit dug from the lower part of Layer 3 – a different depositional context than the previous infant [1][9]. In this burial pit, 14 pieces of flints, over 100 pieces of lithic debitage, and animal bone fragments were embedded in the sedimentary fill of the pit[9]. The homogeneity of the sediment fill suggests that the pit had been immediately filled upon deposition for burial purposes, instead of gradually filled by naturally occurring debris[2]. While skeletal reconstruction show that Burial No. 1 and Burial No. 2 shared many morphological features, the latter displayed less robust characteristics and more definitive features commonly found in European classic Neanderthals[8][10].

Both skeletons were exceptionally well-preserved, maintained a high degree of articulation, and were found isolated in “burial pits” containing material contents, some of which may have been very early signs of symbolic burial customs. Complete and articulate adult skeletons are already hard to come by, and the extreme fragility and susceptibility of infant bones make the recovery of Burial No. 1 and Burial No. 2 a remarkable discovery and the first of its type. The rarity of near-complete infant skeletons, combined with its burial-like surroundings, amply support the notion that intentional mortuary behaviour contributed to its excellent state of preservation[2]. Based on analysis of the remains and its surroundings, Burial No. 1 and Burial No. 2 were Neanderthal infants separated by many generations, suggesting that infant burials were an early widespread development among the Neanderthal species.

SITE 2: Caverna delle Arene Candide

AUTHOR: Danni Olusanya

LOCATION: The Caverna delle Arene Candide (Arene Candide) is located in Finale Ligure. A commune, located in North-West Italy. It is also considered part of the Italian Riviera. It's coordinates are 44.1623° N, 8.3282° E.

AGE: Late Upper Paleolithic (approx. 0.04 (+/- 0) million years ago - 0.01 million years ago)

Context

The Arene Candide, known locally as “Grotta dei Frati” or “Armassa” is a cave and site located in Italy. Situated about 300 ft above sea level, in Northwestern Italy midway between Genoa and French border, it overlooks the Mediterranean.[11] The topography of the cave is fairly steep; even at the height of the last glacial period, the cave was only a few kilometres from the sea. The Cave was used as the site of Upper Paleolithic Culture belonging to the Gravettian culture.[12] It is believed that there was Epigravettian occupation during 13,000 - 11,000 bp, with the site being used in its early period as a burial site. Currently, it is Europe’s largest Pleistocene cemetery.[13] At the start of the Holocene, the site was abandoned with the earliest agricultural immigrants settling there in 5700-5600 BC.[14]

History

The cave got its name popular name in 1864 when Genoan born Arturo Issel an Italian geologist, palaeontologist and archaeologist first visited it.[15]  The cave was named after the aeolian white sand, banked against the wall of the promontory.[16] The Armassa didn’t get international attention, however, until several decades later. In 1940-42 and 1948-1950 carried out a classic excavation of the site. When excavated, stratigraphic layers were discovered rather than arbitrary levels and it showed ranges from the Upper Paleolithic to the Byzantine period.[17] Furthermore, the condition of the burial ground was seen to be extraordinary. As well as multiple human remains, various materials such as chalk and shells were also found. There were also further excavations in the 1970s and the 2000s.[18]

Relevance

Arene Candide is one of the most significant funerary complexes in the world. The material that has been found in subsequent excavations equipped archaeologists with the ability to conduct extensive scientific research on suspected ways of life for Neanderthal beings.Despite being almost 40,000 years bp, there are a few similarities between the burial grounds excavated from the Upper Paleolithic period and many modern-day human communities.

The necropolis is thought to have consisted of many different bodies (up to 17 individual supposed bodies) of all presumably buried at different moments.[19] It has even been suggested were two phases of funerary use.  Other burial sites in Italy suggest that Neanderthals in the region, were clearing their regions of their dead perhaps to minimize the potential dangers of other carnivores.[20] This may feed into the notion of burial as survival rather than as a result of abstract thought and empathy.  Be that as it may, even though the bodies were all buried with various degrees of intentionality, this does demonstrate a cultural persistence of specific funerary activities.[19]

This is very clear in the specific case of the body known as the Gravettian burial known as the prince (“Il Principe”). The skeleton of his body was incredibly well ornamented, hence the nickname. His body was entombed with hundreds of perforated shells, pendants of mammoth ivory, four perforated “bâtons de commandement” of elk antler and a long flint blade which was around 23cm.[16] Excavists were able to ascertain a lot of knowledge from his remains, including his diet which it is presumed marine based food contributed to.[16] This is similar to his Gravettian counterparts across Eurasia. In this way the burial grounds at Arene Candide show the significance of death even in Neanderthal communities as well as their ability to bury with intentionality to honour the life that was lost.

These excavation displays are currently on display in museums across the country.[18]

SITE 3: La Chapelle aux Saints

AUTHOR: Veronica Cheng

LOCATION: Dordogne region of south-central France, in caves just outside of the small village of La Chapelle-aux-Saints. The coordinates of the cave are 44.98333N, 1.71666E

AGE: Approximately 60,000 BP

Context

Original documentation done by Bouyssonie in 1908 indicates that the fossil was located in a “bouffia” within caves near the area of La Chapelle-aux-Saints. A “bouffia” is a small pit dug within a cave. The pit was not naturally occurring, but rather dug, which prompted scientists to believe that an intentional burial had taken place. Re-excavations of the site reinforce a few pieces of knowledge. The pit measures 140 cm in length, 85 cm in width and 39 cm in depth.[5] The limestone on the cliff dates back to the Upper Hettangian geological age, while the marl shows evidence of Lower Hettangian times; materials of the Late Middle, and Upper Paleolithic era. Examination of the burial pit, specifically the lack of drainage and groundwater sedimentation point to the aforementioned belief that, the pit was dug for the purpose of burial.[21]

History

La Chapelle aux Saints 1, or “the old man of La Chapelle” was the first Neanderthal fossil discovered with a skeleton that was relatively intact. It was discovered on August 8, 1908 by brothers Amadee and Jean Bouyssonie in the bouffia Bonneval, a cave just outside of La Chapelle-aux-Saints, France. The Bouyssonie's had found historic artifacts in nearby caves and suspected a discovery of this sort. The Bouyssonies’ sought the help of French anthropologist Marcellin Boule to examine the skeletal remains.[22] Lack of records in the original excavation prompted a new 12 year fieldwork project to take place.[21] Combined with the original findings, the new excavation was able to undermine some previous assumptions about Neanderthals, and notably, provides evidence for intentional burials before the existence of modern humans.[5][21]

Relevance

The Neanderthal fossil “the old man of La Chapelle” was a scientific breakthrough, not just because it was the first of its kind, but because it motivated an entirely new direction in understanding our past. Despite the biases of the 20th century that influenced Boule's interpretation of Neanderthals as dim-witted, it provided a reason for archeologists and other scientists, to look into the possibility of intended burials. Recent re-excavations of the bouffia Bonneval, and the surrounding ecology have proven that Neanderthals buried deceased members of their group, which gives reason to investigate into potential use of symbolism beyond death rituals.

The fossil found in La Chapelle, aided in debunking the myth that Neaderthals had an ape-like hunched back. More recent bodies of research indicate that the cause for the fossils hunched back was actually the result of decaying bone, specifically osteoarthritis.[23] Overall, the impressive preservation (skull, jaw, most of the vertebrae, several ribs, most of the long bones of his arms and legs, some of the smaller bones of his hands and feet[16]) helped to identify future Neanderthal fossils, and locate evolutionary changes. The skull reinforced the anatomical features of Neanderthals: low, receding forehead, protruding midface, and heavy brow ridges.[16] In fact, recent studies indicate that the structure of his skull indicated a possibility for communicating with language.[24]

The discovery of La Chapelle aux Saints 1 pushed for archeologists to search for more evidence of intentional burial practices which is evident in the other examples linked on this page. With more understanding of Neanderthal anatomy, their brains, and their burial practices, we are able to locate their existence closer to that of modern humans. New evidence that stemmed from this initial discovery has allowed us to re-evaluate the potentials of Neanderthals and possible social and cultural experiences.

SITE 4: Shanidar Cave

AUTHOR: Dianna Zhao

LOCATION: Found in the foothills of the Baradost Mountains in North East Iraqi Kurdistan.[6] Latitude: 36° 48' 2.16" N Longitude: 44° 14' 35.88" E.[25]

AGE: 60,000 BP[6]

Context

The Shanidar cave is located in the Northeast side of Iraqi Kurdistan. The opening can be found at the foothills of the Baradost mountains facing the south. The bodies of 10 neanderthal individuals were found at 7.5 m below the cave floor and 15 m from the mouth of the cave.[6] The remains are estimated to have been laid there 60,000 years ago during the Alongside these skeletal remains, small deposits of a white powdery substance were found sealing certain rocks to encase the bodies as well as flowers were also near the remains.[25] In terms of the surrounding environment, the cave is located on a slope 765 m above the Zagros river in an area where many types of ecosystems converge leading to a wealth of natural resources such as plants.[26] The burials likely occurred during the Wurm glaciation meaning the temperature was much cooler and the climate was also humid than in present day.[26]

History

The site was first discovered by American Archaeologist Ralph Solecki who proceeded to work on uncovering the remains from 1951-1960. This work included the 20mx6m trench which was dug in the center of the cave. At the deepest point, the trench stretched 14m belows the cave floor.[6] During this time, Solecki and his team discovered the partial remains of 10 neanderthal individuals in 1960.[6] No further work was proposed until 2014 when the Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq initiated the plan to use robust modern technology to further reveal information about the site.[25] These plans were finally then started in 2015 from the earlier delay due to the ISIS threat against Kurdistan at the time.

Relevance

Within the cave, the remains of 10 neanderthal individuals were found all within the same 20m x 6m x 14m trench. Of the 10 bodies that were found 9 were adults and one was a toddler. The particular oddity that was found at this site is the flower pollen deposits that were found laying all around of the adult male bodies. Due to the humid conditions of the area at the time of the burial, the pollen that remained in the soil remained well preserved.[6] This is a major finding in the field of archaeology as it may indicate the expression of spirituality in early species of humans. The planned placing of certain plants around the remains of a person in addition to the intentional burial of them indicates an understanding of the sanctity of human life and the respect that is given to an individual even after death.[26] The vegetation in question was placed around the middle aged male body composed of many varying species of flowers which all had medicinal and herbal properties. The careful selection of these plants such as the Achillea (otherwise known as daisy) which has healing components has led many archeologists to believe the man could have been a shaman or medicine man to the group.[26]

The placing of the flowers as a burial practice can be regarded as holding honour over a member of their social group in a symbolic process of incorporating healing plants in the burial of an individual which practiced healing in his lifetime.[26][25]Additionally, it was found that one of the flowers that was represented as a bouquet called the hollyhock[6] is grown in single strands leading to the conclusion that they were each picked individually and placed together for a reason rather than accidental. Further evidence such as the chalky white power deposits around the mass of rock that sealed the hole to the graves indicates the international and careful burial of those that passed.[25] This feature is critical as it suggests the burials had more symbolic meaning than a simple disposal of rotting tissue since more thought and care was expressed in their deaths. This discovery sheds light on the spirituality of past species of humans through evidence of specific burial practices performed in the event that a member of one’s social group has passed away.

Human evolution can be shown in a multitude of ways such as the increase in abstract thoughts which are more complex to express and are non-related to the immediate survival and well-being of a species. Death for example is a facet of humanity that has been the topic of fascination for many groups of people throughout history, each with their own practices and beliefs surrounding the topic. The ability to wonder about and honour someone even in the event that they pass away shows an increase in brain capacity and leads to the development of abstract beliefs such as religion.

CONCLUSION

Whilst the Neanderthals all lived in their separate communities across long periods of time, there are many commonalities between their cultural behaviours surrounding death. Many of the bodies excavated have been buried alongside objects that were significant to them in their lifetimes. For example, in the Shanidar Cave located in Iraq, flower pollen was found encased in the soil surrounding the remains. It is heavily speculated in this case that the man could have been a shaman or medicine man, showing the significance of the items to the person throughout their life. Another example of this is the Arene Candide in Italy, a young male was entombed with many goods, such as jewels made of shellfish as well as a flint tool in his hand. This gives greater evidence against the notion that Neanderthals lacked the emotional intelligence to perform rituals similar to modern human day humans.

Furthermore, similarities are shown in the ways that skeletons have been preserved by these communities. Many of the buried skeletons uncovered maintained a remarkable state of preservation, such as the near-complete infant skeleton discovered in Syria's Dederiyeh Cave, which was likely attributed to intentional mortuary behaviour. Additionally, there is no evidence that only certain age groups were included in burial practices, suggesting that all life was held to a similar value in terms of an end-of-life send off. As shown in the Shanidar Cave, the buried remains found included bodies from a range of ages spanning from young children to older adults.

There have been long held beliefs concerning the differences between Neanderthals and modern human ways of living. As more research emerges, evidence of intentional burials are being discovered in Neanderthal fossils, leading to the belief that modern and past humans actually share more similarities in behaviour than previously thought.

REFERENCES

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Akazawa, Takeru; Muhesen, Sultan; Dodo, Yukio; Kondo, Osamu; Mizoguchi, Yuji; Abe, Yoshito; Nishiaki, Yoshihiro; Ohta, Shoji; Oguchi, Yakashi (1995). "Neanderthal infant burial from the Dederiyeh Cave in Syria". Paléorient. 21 – via UBC Library.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Pettitt, Paul (2010). The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial. Routledge. ISBN 978-0415354899.
  3. ↑ Sparacello, Vitale Stefano; Rossi, Stefano; Pettitt, Paul; Roberts, Charlotte; Riel-Salvatore, Julien; Formicola, Vincenzo (2018). "New insights on Final Epigravettian funerary behavior at Arene Candide Cave (Western Liguria, Italy)" (PDF). Journal of Anthropological Sciences. 96: 162 – via JASs Reports. line feed character in |title= at position 57 (help)
  4. ↑ Pettitt, P. B.; Richards, M.; Maggi, R.; Formicola, V (24 June 2011). "The Gravettian burial known as the Prince ("Il Principe"): new evidence for his age and diet" (PDF). Durham Research Online. Durham University: 15. line feed character in |title= at position 35 (help)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Rendu, William; Beauval, Cedric (May 2016). "Let the dead speak…comments on Dibble et al.'s reply to "Evidence supporting an intentional burial at La Chapelle-aux-Saints"". Journal of Archeological Science. 69: 12–13 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Solecki, Ralph (1975). "Shanidar IV, a Neanderthal Flower Burial in Northern Iraq". American Association for the Advancement of Science. 190: 880–881 – via UBC Library.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Nishiaki, Yoshihiro; Yoneda, Minoru; Kanjou, Youssef; Akazawa, Takeru (2017). "Natufian in the North: The Late Epipaleolithic Cultural Entity at Dederiyeh Cave, Northwest Syria". Paléorient. 43 – via UBC Library.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Akazawa, Takeru; Muhesen, S; Ishida, H; Kondo, O; Griggo, Christophe (1999). "New Discovery of a Neanderthal Child Burial from the Dederiyeh Cave in Syria". Paléorient. 25 – via UBC Library.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Gargett, Robert H. (1999). "Middle Palaeolithic burial is not a dead issue: the view from Qafzeh, Saint-Césaire, Kebara, Amud, and Dederiyeh". Journal of Human Evolution. 37: 27–90 – via UBC Library.
  10. ↑ Muhensen, Sultan; Akazawa, Takeru (Autumn 2003). "Neanderthal Burials: Excavations of the Dederiyeh Cave, Afrin, Syria". Journal of Anthropological Research. 59: 335–336 – via UBC Library.
  11. ↑ Rowley-Conwy, Peter (2020). "ARENE CANDIDE". Encyclopedia.
  12. ↑ Rowley-Conwy, Peter (2020). "ARENE CANDIDE". Encylopedia.
  13. ↑ Rowley-Conwy, Peter (2020). "ARENE CANDIDE".
  14. ↑ Rowley-Conwy, Peter (2020). "ARENE CANDIDE".
  15. ↑ "Arene Candide".
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Pettitt, P. B.; Richards, M.; Maggi, R.; Formicola, V. (June 2011). "The Gravettian burial known as the Prince (Il Principe): new evidence for his age and diet" (PDF). Durham Research Online: 17 – via Durham University. line feed character in |title= at position 35 (help) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":10" defined multiple times with different content
  17. ↑ "Arene Candide".
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Arene Candide".
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Sparacello, Vitale Stefano; Rossi, Stefano; Pettitt, Paul; Roberts, Charlotte; Riel-Salvatore, Julien; Formicola, Vincenzo (2018). "New insights on Final Epigravettian funerary behavior at Arene Candide Cave (Western Liguria, Italy)" (PDF). Journal of Anthropological Sciences. 96: 162 – via JASs Reports. line feed character in |title= at position 57 (help)
  20. ↑ Pettit, Paul (2010). The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial. Routledge. p. 79. ISBN 0415354900.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Rendu, William (2014). "Evidence supporting an intentional Neandertal burial at La Chapelle-aux-Saints". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 111: 81 – via PNAS.
  22. ↑ Trinkaus, Erik (April 21, 2009). "La Chapelle-aux-Saints". Encyclopedia Britannica.
  23. ↑ Dawson, James E.; Trinkaus, Erik (1997). "Vertebral Osteoarthritis of the La Chapelle-aux-Saints 1 Neanderthal". Journal of Archeological Science. 24: 1015 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
  24. ↑ Le May, M (1975). "The language capability of Neanderthal man". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 42.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 Pomeroy, Emma; Bennett, Paul; Hunt, Chris O.; Reynolds, Tim; Farr, Lucy; Frouin, Marine; Holman, James; Lane, Ross; French, Charles (2020). "New Neanderthal remains associated with the 'flower burial' at Shanidar Cave". Antiquity. 94: 11–26 – via UBC Library.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Solecki, Ralph (1977). "The Implications Of The Shanidar Cave Neanderthal Flower Burial". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 293: 114–124 – via UBC Library.
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