For decades, Neanderthals have been portrayed as cold-adapted hominins, hardy survivors of glacial landscapes. But emerging archaeological evidence paints a different picture: Neanderthals weren’t necessarily built for the cold, but rather adapted to environments where they could survive. Recent studies reveal that their final refuges weren’t the frozen north, but the warmer, more stable landscapes of southern Europe, suggesting a more complex and resilient history than previously understood.
Challenging the Cold-Adapted Myth
The long-held assumption that Neanderthals thrived in frigid conditions has been shaken by detailed anatomical analysis. A study of the Altamura Man, a remarkably preserved Neanderthal from Italy, found no specialized nasal structures for warming inhaled air, a feature once believed to be universal among these hominins. Researcher Todd Rae bluntly stated that the idea of Neanderthals being cold-adapted is “complete nonsense,” implying they struggled with cold just as much as modern humans would.
This revelation aligns with evidence that Neanderthals were likely the first to master controlled fire as early as 400,000 years ago in southern England. The ability to create fire wasn’t just a technological leap; it was a behavioral necessity for survival in climates where their bodies weren’t naturally suited.
Southern Refuges: A Stable Climate for Survival
As glacial periods intensified, Neanderthals retreated from northern and eastern Europe, consolidating in the Iberian Peninsula and southern Europe. These regions offered a crucial advantage: relative climatic stability. A study in northeastern Spain demonstrated that the area remained warm and wet between 215,000 and 10,000 years ago, shielded by the Mediterranean’s influence. This stability provided a haven where Neanderthals could persist longer than in harsher, more volatile environments.
The archaeological record supports this. Sites like Lazaret cave in France reveal Neanderthals hunting aurochs, red deer, and wolves in wooded landscapes, not barren ice sheets. Cova del Gegant in Spain shows a diet rich in forest and shrub species, including migratory birds – indicating a diverse ecosystem that sustained them far beyond what a purely cold-adapted lifestyle would allow.
Adapting to Change: The Final Days
Even as their range shrank, Neanderthals demonstrated adaptability. At Riparo l’Oscurusciuto in Italy, evidence shows they shifted their fuel sources, burning more grass as woodlands declined around 42,800 years ago. This wasn’t desperation; it was a calculated response to environmental change, showcasing their capacity for behavioral flexibility.
Their final stands, like Cova Eirós in Spain, reveal continued success in hunting large game, including red deer and even cave bears. While direct evidence of their hunting habits is scarce, the presence of butchery marks on bones suggests a practical and efficient use of available resources.
Cultural Practices and the End of the Line
The question of Neanderthal culture remains complex. Unlike some other sites, Iberian Neanderthal burial practices are unclear; some remains were found in cave shafts, possibly as a form of natural deposition, while others may have been subject to funerary cannibalism—a practice viewed differently across cultures.
The final chapter of the Neanderthals is marked by environmental shifts. A drying climate around 39,000 years ago likely strained their resources, though it wasn’t the sole cause of their extinction. Interbreeding with modern humans, and the arrival of a new dominant species, played a crucial role in their disappearance.
Ultimately, the Neanderthals weren’t simply victims of the cold; they were adaptable hominins who persisted for hundreds of thousands of years, innovating and changing until the very end. Their genetic legacy lives on in many modern humans, a reminder that the story of our species is not one of simple replacement, but of complex interaction and enduring influence.
