Neanderthals’ Extinction: International Trade Analysis
Published 17 January 2022. Latest Update: 20 January 2024
A New Research Paper Published in 2024 about the Spreading of the Obsidian:
Yang, SX., Zhang, JF., Yue, JP. et al. Initial Upper Palaeolithic material culture by 45,000 years ago at Shiyu in northern China. Nat Ecol Evol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02294-4
Neanderthals’ Extinction: International Trade Analysis
Why Neanderthals’ Population has started to reduce in Europe at around 50,000 BP until full Extinction around 25,000 BP?
The literature provides many explanations for the extinction of the Neanderthals, such as natural disasters and climate change, despite that Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals shared the same environment in Europe and even the same caves at the same period of time, which leads to the mystery of the Neanderthals’ Extinction. However, none of the extinction explanations focuses on the Neanderthals’ International Trade. On the one hand, the international trade of Neanderthals highlights their intelligence ability, but on the other, it may give an alternative explanation for their extinction.
Alternative Explanation for Neanderthals’ Extinction due to International Trade
What is the problem with International Trade?
Advantages versus Disadvantages of International Trade
Advantages: Obtaining products and raw materials that are lacking in the home locations.
Disadvantages: Spreading ‘problems’ via the mechanism of International Trade, such as spreading ‘bad products’ that lead to regional disappointing or spreading ‘bad raw materials’ that have bad health implications, as well as spreading illness or disease or pandemic via the trade persons that move from one location to another.
Neanderthals’ International Trade before 250,000 to 50,000 years ago (Middle Palaeolithic)
Neanderthals’ International Trade was carried out from Greece to other European countries (e.g. France) during the Middle Palaeolithic to obtain Cutting Stole tools of Obsidian (Volcanic Glass) from the Greek Volcanic Island, Melos because the Obsidian material was available only in the area of Melos, Greece. Neanderthals obtained Stole tools of Obsidian from Greece that was far thousands of KM from their Home Cave Location (e.g. France) because cutting tools and scrapers of Obsidian are much sharper and stronger than regular stone tools that were available outside Greece. Still, the distance of the Trade route was challenging because it was far 3,000 KM by foot from the home cage in France. Likely that the Trade route was passed via several caves that were on the route from Melos, Greece to Dordogne France, such as Lakonis, Morfi, Krapina, Fumane, and Moula-Guercy (Ardèche). Besides, it’s possible that the same Trade Person took the Obsidian tools all along the trade route, but more likely that it passed from one ‘Cave Trade’ to another ‘Cave Trade’ along the Trade Route.
The Trade Route from Melos, Greece to Dordogne, France via likely several caves, such as Lakonis, Morfi, Krapina, Fumane, and Moula-Guercy.
Map of Neanderthals’ Caves in Europe and Asia
The Intelligence that needed for Carrying out International Trade:
Is exist better products compared to what I have today?
What are the advantages of these better products compared to what I have today?
Where I could obtain these better products?
What are the resources needed to obtain these better products?
How long it will take to obtain these better products?
What is the planing to obtain these better products?
When I should implement the planning to obtain these better products?
Who will obtain these better products - me or others for me?
When I will get these better products?
Is it possible to create cycle-time to obtain again and again these better products?
Neanderthals Versus Homo Sapiens Sapiens
Neanderthals live mainly in Europe yet in some areas in Asia from around 250,000 - 25,000 BP, while Homo Sapiens Sapien was evolved from around 160,000-90,000BP, yet they arrived in Europe around 45,000 BP, still, very limited fossils of Homo Sapiens Sapiens were found from the Middle Palaeolithic compared to fossils of Neanderthals, so it’s difficult to compare Neanderthals Versus Homo Sapiens Sapiens during the critic period of 100,000-50,000 BP when Neanderthals have started the extinction process around 50,000 BP when their absolute numbers have started to reduce.
Neanderthals have a bigger brain compared to Homo Sapiens.
Neanderthals have a bigger nose and bigger Lungs and a heavier body compared to Homo Sapiens Sapiens, while Homo Sapiens Sapiens are taller than Neanderthals.
Alternative Explanations for Neanderthals’ extinction due to International Trade:
Spreading Illness/Disease/Pandemic via International Trade. Spreading illness or disease or pandemic via the trade persons that move from one cave to another to distribute the Obsidian cutting tools, which may lead to negative health implications in the long run. Still, in the case of a flu pandemic, we may need to take into account also the body parts of Neanderthals that differ from Homo Sapiens Sapiens, such as the nose and the lungs of the Neanderthals that were bigger compared to the Homo Sapiens Sapiens. A bigger nose and bigger lungs may be more vulnerable to a flu pandemic compared to the smaller ones that Homo Sapiens Sapiens have.
Spreading the Obsidian (Volcanic glass) as a ‘bad material’ via International Trade - Neanderthals’ International Trade led to the spread of a ‘bad raw material’ that may create bad health implications in the long run. Neanderthals put efforts in obtaining Obsidian tools that were used for many tasks including for cutting food. However, Obsidian blades are prohibited to use on humans by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to the negative implications of the volcanic glass on human health. Hence, likely that the volcanic glass enters the Neanderthals’ food, which may lead to long-term negative health implications to the whole Neanderthals’ population. Besides, holding for many hours volcanic glass in hands may even lead to injuries in hands during working with the Obsidian tools, which may also create long-term negative health implications. Given that, if the whole Neanderthals’ population used for many generations the Obsidian tools, then likely that it’s led to negative impacts on the health of the entire Neanderthals’ population and even on fertility.
Summary: Unclear if the Obsidian led to health problems among Neanderthals, and even if YES, then it may not lead to their extinction, yet it may be worth to investigate this alternative explanation. Hence, the mystery of Neanderthals’ extinction may stay with us forever, yet the international trade explanation highlights the risk of globalization in terms of spreading problems via global networking. Thereby, globalization has ample advantages yet it has the risk for spreading negative problems. No clear solutions.
Discussion on this Topic in the Research Literature
Yang, SX., Zhang, JF., Yue, JP. et al. Initial Upper Palaeolithic material culture by 45,000 years ago at Shiyu in northern China. Nat Ecol Evol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02294-4
The major genetic risk factor for severe COVID-19 is inherited from Neanderthals | Nature
Bioenergetic perspectives on Neanderthal thermoregulatory and activity budgets | SpringerLink
Brain development after birth differs between Neanderthals and modern humans - ScienceDirect
In search of the neanderthals: solving the puzzle of human origins - ePrints Soton
Neanderthals in central Asia and Siberia | Nature
Neanderthals and the modern human colonization of Europe | Nature
Late survival of Neanderthals at the southernmost extreme of Europe | Nature
Reconstructing the genetic history of late Neanderthals | Nature
Reconstructing Neanderthal diet: The case for carbohydrates - ScienceDirect
The early use of fire among Neanderthals from a zooarchaeological perspective - ScienceDirect
Coevolution of human speech and trade | SpringerLink
Placing late Neanderthals in a climatic context | Nature
Neanderthal Extinction by Competitive Exclusion (plos.org)
Whither the Neanderthals? (science.org)
Demography and the extinction of European Neanderthals - ScienceDirect
The Neanderthal finds from Lakonis, Mani peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece – Novo Scriptorium
Neanderthal Shell Tool Production: Evidence from Middle Palaeolithic Italy and Greece | SpringerLink
Latest News about this Topic
Study: Neanderthals Transformed Landscapes 125,000 Years Ago | Sci-News.com
Mysterious Footprints Suggest Neanderthals Climbed a Volcano Right After It Erupted (msn.com)
Debunking the Myth of Homo Sapiens Superiority | Discover Magazine
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