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Homo neanderthalensis and the evolutionary origins of ritual in Homo sapiens

Kapitany

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Kapitany



Abstract

There is a large, if disparate, body of archaeological literature discussing specific instantiations of symbolic material culture and the possibility of ritual practices in Neanderthal populations. Despite this attention, however, no single synthesis exists which draws upon cognitive, psychological, and cultural evolutionary theories of ritual. Here we review the evidence for ritual-practice among now extinct Homo neanderthalensis, as well as the necessary cognitive pre-conditions for such behaviour, in order to explore the evolution of ritual in Homo sapiens. We suggest that the currently available archaeological evidence indicates that Neanderthals may have utilised ‘ritualisation’ to increase the successful transmission of technical knowledge across generations — providing an explanation for the technological stability of the Middle Palaeolithic and attesting to a survival strategy differing from near contemporary Homo sapiens.

Acceptance Date Jan 28, 2020
Publication Date Jun 28, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences
Print ISSN 0080-4622
Publisher The Royal Society
DOI https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019-0424
Keywords symbolism; Palaeolithic; Neanderthal; behaviour; cognition; over-imitation.
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019-0424

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