Understanding Neanderthal development and cognition reveals how their brains evolved, learning and adapting, shedding light on the depth of their intelligence.
Different pathways of brain development compared to modern humans.
Fossil reconstructions of Neanderthal children show that their brains grew at different rates and followed distinct developmental pathways, which may have affected how neural circuits were organized and when cognitive skills matured.High visual and physical energy demands
Their large eyes and powerful muscles required significant brain resources for processing visual input and controlling movement, meaning a greater proportion of their cognitive budget was devoted to sensory and motor functions.Evidence of care for the sick and elderly
Skeletons of Neanderthals with severe injuries who lived long after those injuries show that groups looked after weaker members, indicating compassion, planning and social cohesion.Working memory and decision-making abilities
Experiments with tar-making and tool-making show that Neanderthals could plan multidimensional processes and adjust their actions on the fly, and point to strong working memory and problem-solving skills.
behavior And Culture
Neanderthal behavior and culture reveal a species capable of creativity, cooperation, and adaptability, challenging long-held assumptions about their intelligence.
Sophisticated stone and bone tools
Like the Mousterian industry, Neanderthal toolkits were varied and carefully crafted, with prepared cores and controlled flaking techniques that required planning and skill.Fire, cooking, and the use of adhesives such as birch tar
Evidence from fountains and remains suggests that they controlled fire for heating and cooking, and prepared tar for stone tools on wooden handles.Evidence for organized hunting and cooperative care of large animals
Cut marks on large animal bones and the survival of injured individuals point to coordinated hunting strategies and social support within groups.Possible symbolic activities, including pigments, jewelry, and cave structures
Findings of ocher pigments, pierced shells, and abstract carvings suggest that they engaged in some form of symbolic or decorative expression.The construction of stalagmite rings deep in the caves indicates planning and cooperation.
Color structures in Brunel’s cave imply sophisticated spatial planning, group coordination, and perhaps ritual behavior in the dark.Use of natural shelters and seasonal movement
Archaeological evidence suggests that Neanderthals chose caves and open-air sites and moved seasonally, reflecting environmental awareness and resource management.
Taken together, these biological and cultural clues suggest that Neanderthals were intelligent, adaptive hominins capable of planning, cooperation, empathy, and perhaps symbolic thought. Their different brain organization may have affected the balance of their cognitive skills, but there is no evidence that they were dramatically less capable than early modern humans.