The puzzle of Neanderthal aesthetics

The puzzle of Neanderthal aesthetics Getty Images Delving into the minds of Neanderthals is complex, but new findings are giving insights into the extent of their cognitive powers and culture Sometime between 135,000-50,000 years ago, hands slick with animal blood carried more than 35 huge horned heads into a small, dark, winding cave. But can we really suggest Neanderthals, a hominin species that became extinct around 40,000 years ago, developed rituals centred on the skulls of their prey? However, some researchers have suggested that millions of modern humans may also carry the "Neanderthal version" of this gene, raising further questions about how different the brains of these extinct relatives really were. For Neanderthals, our closest evolutionary relations who were on so many levels curious and highly intelligent, it might have made perfect sense to perceive both their prey and other predators as fellow beings While the excavation team suggested it might represent burial offerings or a hunting shrine, for other researchers, Des-Cubierta does not contain clear indicators beyond "everyday" behaviour.