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Turkish Cave Reveals Neanderthals and Humans Shared Culture for Millenia
Archaeologists found 29 shells and similar tools at a Turkish cave, suggesting symbolic behaviors were shared over more than 20,000 years.
Published on Monday in PNAS, new research suggests Neanderthals and Homo sapiens shared cultural practices at a cave in Turkey, indicating both groups may have engaged in similar symbolic behaviors.
Neanderthals occupied the cave between approximately 77,000 and 59,000 years ago, followed by Homo sapiens until 47,000 years ago, with both groups employing similar hunting strategies and stone-tool technologies.
Excavations revealed that both populations collected Columbella shells, a behavior previously considered exclusive to Homo sapiens, with shells showing signs of deliberate heating and piercing for stringing.
"These two distinct but closely related human groups were probably sharing symbolic preferences," said co-author Naoki Morimoto, paleoanthropologist at Kyoto University, indicating deep cultural interaction.
Ongoing excavations at the site may clarify whether cultural similarities emerged from direct contact or interbreeding, helping researchers build a more comprehensive picture of human evolution during the Late Pleistocene.