For decades, scientists have debated whether our extinct human cousins, the Neanderthals, possessed religious or spiritual beliefs. While they left behind compelling evidence of symbolic behavior, determining if this equates to “religion” as we understand it remains a challenge.
The Evidence: Rituals and Symbolism
Archaeological discoveries suggest Neanderthals engaged in practices that resemble ritualistic behavior. These include deliberate burial of the dead, the accumulation of animal skulls in cave formations, and the creation of rock art on cave walls and bones. The intentional removal of bird feathers and use of eagle talons as pendants further hints at symbolic thought. Controversially, evidence of cannibalism has also been found, sparking speculation about whether this practice had ritualistic intent.
These behaviors raise fundamental questions: Were Neanderthals simply reacting to the environment, or were they assigning meaning to it? Were they driven by spiritual motivations, or merely by practical concerns such as disposing of bodies?
Differing Expert Opinions
Experts diverge on whether these behaviors qualify as “religious.” Some, like Patrick McNamara, a neurology professor at Boston University, argue that Neanderthals likely practiced a form of shamanism, characterized by visionary religious experiences. He points to the ritualistic arrangement of skulls in cave “altars” and evidence of “Bear ceremonialism”—the worship of bears, indicated by deliberately arranged bear skulls in caves—as compelling proof.
Others, such as Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist at Oxford University, believe Neanderthal cognitive abilities were insufficient for the complex theological systems developed by Homo sapiens. While they may have experienced awe and wonder, Dunbar suggests they lacked the mental capacity for the nuanced belief systems we associate with religion.
Margaret Boone Rappaport, an anthropologist, agrees, adding that Neanderthals’ brain structure—specifically a smaller precuneus, a region associated with imagination and perception—likely limited their ability to conceive of abstract deities or complex theological frameworks.
The Challenge of Interpretation
Karel Kuipers, an archaeologist at Leiden University, cautions against imposing modern interpretations on Neanderthal behavior. The act of burying the dead, for example, may have been a practical solution to decomposition rather than a spiritual practice.
Ultimately, determining whether Neanderthals had religious beliefs is limited by the fact that we can only infer their thoughts from physical remains. Their worldview remains elusive.
Conclusion
While Neanderthals exhibited behaviors suggestive of ritual and symbolism, whether these practices equate to religion is unclear. The debate highlights the difficulty of interpreting the past, especially when dealing with extinct species whose mental and spiritual worlds remain largely unknown. The available evidence suggests Neanderthals engaged in meaningful behavior, but whether that behavior was driven by belief in supernatural forces is a question that may never be fully answered.
