Our ancient cousins, Neanderthals have an unwarranted image as brutish and uncaring, but new research has revealed just how knowledgeable and effective Neanderthal healthcare was.
Reconstruction of a Neanderthal. Image credit: Neanderthal Museum.
It is well known that Neanderthals sometimes provided care for the injured, but the new study — published in the journal World Archaeology — suggests they were genuinely caring of their peers, regardless of the level of illness or injury, rather than helping others out of self-interest.
“Our findings suggest Neanderthals didn’t think in terms of whether others might repay their efforts, they just responded to their feelings about seeing their loved ones suffering,” said lead author Dr. Penny Spikins, an archaeologist at the University of York, UK.
Most of the individuals scientists know about had a severe injury of some kind, with detailed pathologies highlighting a range of debilitating conditions and injuries.
In some cases the injuries occurred long before death and would have required monitoring, massage, fever management and hygiene care, the study suggests.
For example, an analysis of a 50,000-60,000-year-old Neanderthal individual — known as La Chapelle aux Saints 1 (LCS1) — from south-west France revealed a catalogue of poor heath, including a degenerative disease of the spine and shoulders.
“The analysis of LCS1, a male aged between 25 and 40 years old at death, revealed that he suffered from extensive tooth loss and severe, chronic periodontal disease; temporomandibular joint arthritis; severe osteoarthritis in lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae, and moderate to severe degeneration of lower thoracic vertebrae; osteoarthritis in both shoulder joints; a rib fracture in the mid-thoracic region; degeneration in the fifth proximal inter-phalangeal joint of the right foot; and severe degeneration and likely chronic osteomyelitis in the left hip,” the archaeologists said.
“Care for LCS1 likely comprised ‘direct support’ — such as fever management, hygiene maintenance, repositioning and manipulation — during debilitating health crises associated with flare-up of infection and/or experience of severe pain, and ‘accommodation’ such as providing suitable food and, very probably, taking measures to ensure he was not left behind when the group moved camp.”
“Degenerative disease in the spine and shoulders would have affected LCS1’s upper body function, likely restricting performance in areas requiring upper body flexibility and strength — such as hunting and transport of items between camps.”
“LCS1’s diseased left hip, his most serious pathology, would have imposed significant pain-based and mechanical restrictions on the use of his left leg in actions requiring weight-bearing, balance and mobility.”
His condition would have sapped his strength over the final 12 months of life and severely restricted his ability to contribute to the group. Yet, he remained part of the group as his articulated remains were subsequently carefully buried.
“We argue that the social significance of the broader pattern of healthcare has been overlooked and interpretations of a limited or calculated response to healthcare have been influenced by preconceptions of Neanderthals as being ‘different’ and even brutish,” Dr. Spikins said.
“However, a detailed consideration of the evidence in its social and cultural context reveals a different picture.”
“The very similarity of Neanderthal healthcare to that of later periods has important implications,” he said.
“We argue that organized, knowledgeable and caring healthcare is not unique to our species but rather has a long evolutionary history.”
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Penny Spikins et al. Calculated or caring? Neanderthal healthcare in social context. World Archaeology, published online February 22, 2018; doi: 10.1080/00438243.2018.1433060
