Neanderthals had feelings too, say York researchers

University of York ^ | October 5, 2010 | Unknown

[decimon]

Pioneering new research by archaeologists at the University of York suggests that Neanderthals belied their primitive reputation and had a deep seated sense of compassion.

A team from the University’s Department of Archaeology took on the ‘unique challenge’ of charting the development of compassion in early humans.

The researchers examined archaeological evidence for the way emotions began to emerge in our ancestors six million years ago and then developed from earliest times to more recent humans such as Neanderthals and modern people like ourselves. The research by Dr Penny Spikins, Andy Needham and Holly Rutherford is published in the journal Time and Mind.

The archaeologists studied archaeological evidence and used this to propose a four stage model for the development of human compassion. It begins six million years ago when the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees experienced the first awakenings of an empathy for others and motivation to ‘help’ them, perhaps with a gesture of comfort or moving a branch to allow them to pass.

The second stage from 1.8 million years ago sees compassion in Homo erectus beginning to be regulated as an emotion integrated with rational thought. Care of sick individuals represented an extensive compassionate investment while the emergence of special treatment of the dead suggested grief at the loss of a loved one and a desire to soothe others feelings.

In Europe between around 500,000 and 40,000 years ago, early humans such as Homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals developed deep-seated commitments to the welfare of others illustrated by a long adolescence and a dependence on hunting together. There is also archaeological evidence of the routine care of the injured or infirm over extended periods. These include the remains of a child with a congenital brain abnormality who was not abandoned but lived until five or six years old and those of a Neanderthal with a withered arm, deformed feet and blindness in one eye who must have been cared for, perhaps for as long as twenty years..

In modern humans starting 120,000 years ago, compassion was extended to strangers, animals, objects and abstract concepts.

Dr Penny Spikins, who led the research, said that new research developments, such as neuro-imaging, have enabled archaeologists to attempt a scientific explanation of what were once intangible feelings of ancient humans. She added that this research was only the first step in a much needed prehistoric archaeology of compassion.

“Compassion is perhaps the most fundamental human emotion. It binds us together and can inspire us but it is also fragile and elusive. This apparent fragility makes addressing the evidence for the development of compassion in our most ancient ancestors a unique challenge, yet the archaeological record has an important story to tell about the prehistory of compassion,” she said.

“We have traditionally paid a lot of attention to how early humans thought about each other, but it may well be time to pay rather more attention to whether or not they ‘cared’.”

Dr Spikins will give a free public lecture about the research at the University of York on Tuesday 19 October. Neanderthals in love: What can archaeology tell us about the feelings of ancient humans takes place in room P/L001 Department of Physics.

The researchers are publishing the study as a book The Prehistory of Compassion that is available to purchase online. All proceeds go to the charity World Vision. www.blurb.com/books/1628917

www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1628917

[decimon]

Like you’d care ping.

[Pearls Before Swine]

It’s nice to know that Neanderthals may have had empathy. It is notably lacking in a large sub-population of current humans.

[Little Bill]

Have you ever noticed that people behave just like people across the centuries. I wonder why that is, should I apply for a grant?

[vpintheak]

I wonder if sometime in the future people found the remains of WWE wrestlers. Why they could build a whole entire civilization off those remains.

[Dem Guard]

What a bunch of Hocus Pocus smoke. Where can I get a grant to put out this highly speculative and unprovable cr*p?

[central_va]

[Boogieman]

“The archaeologists studied archaeological evidence and used this to propose a four stage model for the development of human compassion. It begins six million years ago when the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees experienced the first awakenings of an empathy for others and motivation to ‘help’ them, perhaps with a gesture of comfort or moving a branch to allow them to pass.”

What a load of hooey! If compassion evolved in some common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees, then what, it just happened to evolve in the ancestors of other unrelated animals that also display compassion? Oh, must be that “convergent evolution” again.

[AnnGora]

Just ask Bill Clinton.

[wtc911]

We still do!

[Adder]

Did they find fossilized emotions next to the flint cherts?

Sheesh.

It can only be rank speculation.

[a fool in paradise]

Touching news item.

[OB1kNOb]

Printing for my wife to read so I can say I told you so.

[JimRed]

It begins six million years ago when the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees experienced the first awakenings of an empathy for others and motivation to ‘help’ them, perhaps with a gesture of comfort or moving a branch to allow them to pass...and then letting it spring back to knock the other down, accompanied by gales of laughter from the rest of the troop.

[a fool in paradise]

It begins six million years ago when the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees experienced the first awakenings of an empathy for others and motivation to ‘help’ them, perhaps with a gesture of comfort

So wait, if empathy begins with chimpanzees or there abouts, why do other species like cats, dogs, ducks, etc. also exhibit empathy?

[onedoug]

They also buried their dead and placed flowers in the graves suggesting an emerging spiritual sense.

[SunkenCiv]

· GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach · · join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·
	Antiquity Journal  & archive  Archaeologica  Archaeology  Archaeology Channel  BAR  Bronze Age Forum  Discover  Dogpile  Eurekalert  Google  LiveScience  Mirabilis.ca  Nat Geographic  PhysOrg  Science Daily  Science News  Texas AM  Yahoo  Excerpt, or Link only?	Thanks decimon. :') Another great excuse to reprise this: The Neandertal Enigma by James Shreeve in local libraries Frayer's own reading of the record reveals a number of overlooked traits that clearly and specifically link the Neandertals to the Cro-Magnons. One such trait is the shape of the opening of the nerve canal in the lower jaw, a spot where dentists often give a pain-blocking injection. In many Neandertal, the upper portion of the opening is covered by a broad bony ridge, a curious feature also carried by a significant number of Cro-Magnons. But none of the alleged 'ancestors of us all' fossils from Africa have it, and it is extremely rare in modern people outside Europe." [pp 126-127] To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
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[wendy1946]

The ONLY reason gorillas and chimps cannot be taught to speak English is the lack of voluntary control over breathing. At least one of them which has learned deaf signs checks out as having an IQ in the 100 - 110 range; that's more than adequate for half of American jobs.

There are other examples of creatures which are totally unrelated to us being intelligent. This includes dogs, cats, octopi, parrots, crows, magpies, ravens, and any number of others.

The relationship between crows and ravens of course is similar to that between Masons and Shriners i.e. you have to be a crow for six or seven years before they'll let you be a raven...

[gleeaikin]

I think it began a lot earlier than 6 million years ago. Elephants show grief at death. Monkeys and apes are distressed when an infant dies, etc.

One day I was very upset and visiting a friend. I was lying on the bed crying and his Sheltie jumped up on the bed, snuggled against me and whined in sympathy.

[a fool in paradise]

Some exotic species of birds reportedly bond with their owners as well and mourn after their passing.