While Neanderthals and Homo sapiens exhibit fundamental differences in behavior, they share a key characteristic in their daily lives: the ability to structure their living space. Until recently, this was considered a behavioral trait unique to Homo sapiens, according to Sci.News.
To uncover patterns in how these two groups organized their dwellings, Italian and Canadian archaeologists analyzed artifacts at the ancient site of Riparo Bombrini in the Liguria region. Here, in northwestern Italy, researchers have found evidence of Neanderthal habitation (at the Mousterian level) and Homo sapiens (at the Protoaurignacian level) over different periods.
How Was the Research Conducted?
A team from the University of Montreal and the University of Genoa mapped the distribution of stone tools, animal bones, and marine shells across the site. The scientists created clear and interpreted models of the spatial structures of the area. By examining the placement of various types of artifacts and materials, the archaeologists explored how different groups organized their living spaces in Liguria.
The patterns discovered in the arrangement of artifacts helped researchers understand how ancient people utilized space, noted lead author Amélie Vallérian from the University of Montreal.
By combining spatial analysis with the study of stone tools, faunal remains, and marine shells, the scientists were able to see a comprehensive picture of the behavioral similarities and differences between the two ancient populations.
Both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens structured their living spaces. They divided their dwellings into areas of high and low intensity (activity). This indicates that both groups demonstrated a shared cognitive ability for spatial organization.
Key trends regarding this for both groups developed over thousands of years of repeated habitation. The clarity of their planning was evidenced by the repeated placement of internal hearths and refuse pits.
The organization of living space depended on land-use strategies and the mobility of ancient people, specifically the duration of occupations, intervals between them, the number of inhabitants, and the nature of their activities. According to the researchers, planning and organization were fundamental aspects of life for both groups.
What Are the Differences?
Neanderthal settlements showed less intensity compared to those of Homo sapiens. The density of artifacts in the former group was lower, with archaeologists identifying fewer clusters of their tools.
At each level of the site, the researchers discovered different patterns of spatial distribution and usage. Neanderthals occasionally used Riparo Bombrini for short-term occupations in the context of rapid climate changes, while Homo sapiens inhabited the site both short-term and long-term.
The transition from Neanderthals to modern humans in Liguria was marked by a rapid shift from the late Mousterian (Neanderthal) technological complex to the Protoaurignacian (Homo sapiens), with no contact between the two groups.
The authors of the new study compared the spatial behavior of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens within the same area, using consistent parameters to minimize analytical error. As a result, the researchers discerned a certain logic in how the studied space was utilized, regardless of which populations inhabited it at different times.
“Like Homo sapiens, Neanderthals structured their living space according to the various tasks they performed and their needs,” summarized Amélie Vallérian. This study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that Neanderthals were “more human-like” than commonly believed, the researcher added.
The findings were published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory.