Shanidar 1 didn’t just survive severe injuries. The evidence suggests long-term group support, while the old amputation claim looks much less certain. #Neanderthals #Archaeology #HumanOrigins
Shanidar 1 is best understood as evidence that a badly injured Neanderthal survived for years with group support, not as settled proof of prehistoric amputation. The skeleton from Shanidar Cave in Iraqi Kurdistan shows multiple healed injuries and severe impairments, and researchers have long argued that surviving them into later life likely required social help. The key point is not one dramatic injury but the combination: …
