Skip to main content
See every side of every news story
Published loading...Updated

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.
Insights by Ground AI

23 Articles

Lean Left

A cave in Turkey was successively inhabited by Neanderthals and modern people. Their behaviors were astoundingly similar

·Vienna, Austria
Read Full Article
Lean Left

The two species hunted the same animals and collected the same shells to make ornaments

·Granada, Spain
Read Full Article
Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 47% of the sources are Center
47% Center

Factuality Info Icon

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

Info Icon

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

Scientific American broke the news on Monday, July 6, 2026.
Too Big Arrow Icon
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics

News
Feed Dots Icon
For You
Search Icon
Search
Blindspot LogoBlindspotLocal