Did Neanderthals Believe In God?

First Posted: Dec 15, 2016 05:02 AM EST
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Archeologists discovered a buried Neanderthal child that prompted them to wonder if Neanderthals believed in God.

Haaretz reported that archeologists have found a seemingly intentional burial that happened 40,000 years ago inside a cave located 100 kilometers from Madrid. While it has not yet been proven that Neanderthals could even speak, this recent discovery may lead people to consider imagining these creatures performing liturgy rites in their own language.

The burial site of a so-called Loyoza Child was found surrounded by hearths with antlers, bones and a rhino skull nearby. This prompted the team to at least assume that a ceremony may have been conducted. Does this mean that Neanderthals already had religious rituals and beliefs during their time?

"We cannot say much (about the skeletons) except that we surmise the site was regarded as somehow relevant in regard to the remains of deceased Neanderthals," archaeologist Michael Walker from the Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology at the University of Murcia previously told Discovery News. "Their tools and food remains, not to mention signs of fires having been lit, which we have excavated indicate they visited the site more than once. Such discoveries are extraordinarily uncommon."

Although the question if Homo neanderthalensis really believed in God has not been answered up to this day, it shreds of evidence of worship has also been found in an ancient cave in Botswana.

There were carvings discovered on rocks that looked like a huge snake, which made archaeologists wonder if the predecessors of the Sana people from 70,000 years ago did perform worship rituals. Another evidence found at the site were burned or broken spearheads depicting ritualistic behaviors in the tribe.

If these Homo neanderthalensis did have religious activities, the existence of rituals among Neanderthals may not be impossible. Could this mean homo brains may have been wired to have a tendency to believe? Further studies might answer this question someday.

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