Kyoto, Japan—Modern humans and Neanderthals may have shared a common culture over a period of about 20,000 years, biology Report. An international team of researchers excavated the Üçağizlı II Cave in southern Turkey and uncovered evidence that both species used the same locations, had similar hunting and gathering strategies, and shared similar tool technologies. Dating of the sediments where Neanderthal and modern human remains were recovered shows that Neanderthals used the space about 77,000 to 59,000 years ago and modern humans about 59,000 to 47,000 years ago. Both species collected raw materials from the same sources, and both groups hunted wild goats, fallow deer, roe deer, and wild boar. The study also shows that both Neanderthals and modern humans collected a niche of sea shells that had little food value. This conch was previously only associated with modern humans, and was thought to have been used as jewelery or a symbol. “Our findings indicate a deep level of cultural contact,” said Naoki Morimoto of Kyoto University. “These two different but closely related human groups were not only adapting to the same environment: they were probably sharing symbolic preferences,” he said. The researchers concluded that the two groups may therefore have lived in the same area, had contact with each other, and shared cultures. To read about other evidence of Neanderthal culture, visit “Neanderthal fashion statement“
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