Those Natty Neanderthals! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Europe, Asia

Paleoanthropologists believe Neanderthal traits began to appear in individuals sometime between 600,000-350,000 years ago, and "true Neanderthals" appeared between 250,000-200,000 years ago in Eurasia, from Western Europe to Central and Northern Asia.

It is estimated that the total population of Neanderthals in this area at their peak numbered 70,000. At this time it is not considered to be correct to refer to any fossils outside Eurasia as Neanderthals.

Answer: Cave man

Because they lived during the Ice Age, it was convenient for Neanderthals to take shelter in the many limestone caves available to them. There is some evidence that Neanderthals built housing out of animal bones in some areas. However, most of their fossils have been found in caves.

Answer: "sapiens"

Some paleoanthropologists believe Neanderthals are their own species, while others believe they are a subspecies of humans, and should be designated as "Homo sapiens neanderthalensis". It is believed they are closely related genetically to modern humans, differing in DNA by just 0.12%

Answer: Paleolithic

The Paleolithic Age spanned quite a long period, during which time hominids went through great physical change. By the end of the Paleolithic Age, all other hominid species were extinct and modern humans inhabited the earth. Expert hunters, Neanderthals fought with spears; it is unknown if the spear was thrown or thrust.

They hunted a variety of animals, such as rhino, mammoth, deer, and wild boar, as well as small game. In the beginning it was believed that, as hunters, Neanderthals were totally carnivorous, but modern evidence shows that they ate cooked plants as well.

Answer: It was larger.

Neanderthals had an average brain size of 1600 cm3, larger than the average human brain size of 1400 cm3. Even though they had larger brains, it does not appear that Neanderthals were especially innovative. Paleoanthropologists have long wondered if Neanderthals had the ability to speak. With the recent discovery of a hyoid bone, scientists were able to reconstruct a Neanderthal esophagus, which proves that they could speak.

In fact, their hyoid bone was very similar to one of a modern human. Of course, we will never know what language they used, or how they sounded, but it is certain that they did not speak in the brutish monosyllables (grunts) as has been previously portrayed.

Answer: Cold

Early Neanderthals lived in the last glacial period for a span of about 100,000 years. It is difficult to study some of their remains because of glacial damage to the sites. Mammal fossils from the same time period suggest that the animals were adapted to the cold. Adaptable Neanderthals may have been better suited to brave the cold than modern humans, and may have displaced them in areas where the climate changed and became colder.

It is hypothesized that Neanderthals would have had to construct some sort of clothing in order to live in the cold climate they inhabited.

They apparently did not invent needles for sewing clothes, but there is evidence of bone awls that could be used to drill eyelets for lacing skins and furs together.

Answer: True

Neanderthals were biologically adapted to cold weather. They had a robust build. Although they were about the same height as modern man, scientists believe there is evidence that especially their hands and arms were much stronger. A current study also suggests that Neanderthals may have had better eyesight than modern humans given the size of their eye sockets and the large area of the brain that it is believed was devoted to vision.

Incidentally, genetic studies also show that some may have had red or blond hair!

Answer: Neanderthals could do any of these activites in their spare time

Neanderthal sites have yielded musical instruments, as well as carved figurines and cave paintings, although there is still much debate among experts as to if the paintings were completed by Neanderthals or Cro-Magnon man. Stone tools that have been discovered indicate Neanderthals might have been traveling the Mediterranean Sea by boat as early as 170,000 years ago!

Answer: Bury their dead

Neanderthals share several cultural traits with modern humans; for example, they are the first to have ritually buried their dead. Burial sites have been uncovered that appear to have been made for families. In addition, pollen found on the graves indicates that the dead were buried with flowers.

Not only that, there is evidence that food and weapons were buried with the corpse. This may also indicate some type of spiritual belief in the afterlife.

Answer: False

Scientists have found that About 55,000 years ago the climate in Europe began to fluctuate wildly. Neanderthals had bodies that were well-suited to cold weather. However, the plants and animals they depended on were replaced by new ones. Studies have shown that Neanderthals needed more energy to survive than any hominid species; food becoming scarce may have played a part in Neanderthals becoming extinct 41,000-39,000 years ago.

Although some paleoanthropologists believe that modern humans and Neanderthals may have interbred, the exact nature of any interaction is unknown.

It appears the two groups co-habitated areas for approximately 5,000 years.