A recent archaeological discovery in Tinshemet Cave, located in central Israel, has provided compelling evidence that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens not only coexisted in the region but also shared technology, ways of life, and funerary rituals, suggesting a much closer relationship than previously thought.
Excavations in Tinshemet Cave have been ongoing since 2017, led by a team of experts from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University, including Professor Yossi Zaidner, Professor Israel Hershkovitz, and Dr. Marion Prévost.
Their primary goal has been to determine the nature of the interactions between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals in the Levant during the Middle Paleolithic. Were they competitors for resources? Did they live peacefully as neighbors? Or did they even collaborate?
The site has proven to be an archaeological site of great value, as human burials, the first from this period in more than fifty years, have been found there. These findings indicate that both human species shared not only territory but also symbolic and social practices, contributing to the evolution of culture and technology.
The study analyzes four fundamental areas: stone tool production, hunting strategies, symbolic behaviors, and social complexity. The combination of these factors allows researchers to conclude that there was significant interaction between different human groups, leading to an exchange of knowledge and customs. This process likely drove cultural homogenization and fostered the development of social innovations.
One of the study’s most remarkable aspects is the emergence of organized funerary rituals in the region approximately 110,000 years ago. This practice, which may have arisen as a result of increased social interaction, marks a milestone in human history.
Additionally, a significant use of mineral pigments, especially ochre, has been found on the remains discovered in the cave, suggesting that these groups used body decorations, possibly with a symbolic or identity-related purpose.
The concentration of burials in Tinshemet Cave raises intriguing questions. Could this site have been a cemetery or a ceremonial space used by different human communities? If this hypothesis is confirmed, it would indicate the existence of shared rituals and strong community ties among the region’s inhabitants.
In some of the graves, stone tools, animal bones, and fragments of ochre were found, which could point to early beliefs in an afterlife.
Professor Zaidner describes Israel as a “melting pot of cultures” where different human groups met, interacted, and evolved together. According to him, the data obtained reinforces the idea that connections between populations have been a fundamental driving force in the development of cultural and technological innovations throughout history.
Meanwhile, Dr. Prévost highlights the Levant’s unique geographical position, which made it a meeting point for different human populations. During the Middle Paleolithic, improved climatic conditions favored demographic expansion and facilitated contact between various human species, driving the exchange of knowledge and customs.
Professor Hershkovitz adds that the interconnected lifestyles of different human groups in the region provide further evidence that their relationships were more complex than previously thought. It was not merely coexistence but a dynamic interaction in which cooperation and competition played key roles.
The discoveries in Tinshemet Cave offer a unique window into the social structures, symbolic behaviors, and daily lives of the earliest human groups in the region. These findings open new lines of research into how the first complex societies were formed and how interaction between human species contributed to cultural evolution.
SOURCES
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Zaidner, Y., Prévost, M., Shahack-Gross, R. et al. Evidence from Tinshemet Cave in Israel suggests behavioural uniformity across Homo groups in the Levantine mid-Middle Palaeolithic circa 130,000–80,000 years ago. Nat Hum Behav (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02110-y
- Share on:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Extreme droughts triggered the great barbarian invasion of Roman Britain in the mid-4th century AD
A study led by the University of Cambridge has revealed that a series of extreme droughts between the years 364 and 366 AD may have been a determining factor in…
There is life on planet K2-18b: Strongest signs yet of biological activity detected outside the Solar System
A team of astronomers led by the University of Cambridge has detected the chemical fingerprints of possible signs of life on a planet outside the solar system. Using data from…
Archaeologists Discover a Roman Castellum on the Banks of the Danube, the First Found in Austria
For the first time, an archaeological investigation has conclusively documented the existence of a brückenkopfkastell—a Roman auxiliary outpost castle erected at a strategic river crossing point—on Austrian soil. The discovery,…
Prehistoric Sun Protection: How Homo sapiens Survived the Planet’s Magnetic Reversal 41,000 Years Ago
A recent study led by the University of Michigan suggests that Homo sapiens who inhabited Europe around 41,000 years ago may have survived a period of intense solar radiation thanks…
Magenta, the Color Born from a Battle
The history of colors is intertwined with the evolution of humanity, reflecting scientific advances, cultural conquests, and historical moments that have left an indelible mark on our perception of the…
This Is How Humans Managed to Make Fire During the Ice Age Glaciation
For millennia, fire has been considered an essential element for human survival: it not only provided warmth in hostile climates but also enabled food cooking, tool-making, and even served as…
A Celtic Iron Age Necropolis Found in France Without Human Remains but With Complete Swords in Their Sheaths and Other Treasures
At the top of the archaeological site of Creuzier-le-Neuf, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, a team from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap) has uncovered an extensive necropolis dated…
Ancient Inscriptions, Heraldic Shields, and Drawings Deciphered in the Cenacle of Jerusalem Built by the Crusaders
An international team of researchers has succeeded in identifying and analyzing dozens of medieval graffiti in one of Christianity’s holiest sites, the Cenacle of Jerusalem, the place where tradition says…
The Military Secrets of Urartu: How a Forgotten Kingdom Challenged the Mighty Assyrian Empire
In the mountains of eastern Anatolia, during the Iron Age between the 9th and 6th centuries BC, a kingdom arose that challenged one of the greatest powers of its time:…
Maximator, the intelligence alliance formed by five European countries that ended up being spied on by their own machines
Military alliances are interstate political agreements signed to achieve common defense. They have existed since Antiquity (remember, for instance, the leagues formed by the Greek city-states), and although their most…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
