The frigid climates of Northern Europe demanded resourcefulness and resilience from our ancient ancestors, the Neanderthals. We know they possessed robust bodies and mastered fire-making, but did they also wear clothes? While we haven’t unearthed any Neanderthal clothing or remnants, a compelling case can be made for their fashion sense.
Indirect evidence strongly suggests that Neanderthals residing in cold regions dressed themselves head to toe in leather and furs. While the delicate nature of clothing hinders its preservation, a variety of clues point to its use. A stone scraper from Neumark-Nord, Germany, bears traces of oak bark residue dating back 200,000 years, hinting at hide processing. Although the exact purpose remains uncertain, it could have been used for creating clothing or even fur bed covers.
Furthermore, stone and bone awls, pointed tools found at a late Neanderthal site in central France, indicate specialized tools for attaching hides, likely for clothing or shelter construction.
The study of head and body lice reveals a fascinating connection between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. Their genetic divergence took place between 170,000 and 72,000 years ago, with a reintroduction of body lice from an ancient human population, possibly Neanderthals, around 100,000 years ago. Since body lice thrive on clothing, this suggests our ancestors began wearing clothes before that time.
Interestingly, Neanderthal teeth exhibit an unusual pattern of wear, with their front teeth significantly more worn down than their back teeth. This indicates the use of their mouths to hold and manipulate objects, not just for eating, a practice observed in contemporary Inuit people who employ their teeth to soften animal hides for clothing.
The oldest direct evidence of Neanderthal fiber technology is a three-ply cord fragment discovered attached to a stone tool from a site in southeastern France, dating back 41,000 to 52,000 years. While these cords could have been used for nets, baskets, or snares, they could also have been employed to create shoes and fabric.
Sarah Lacy, a biological anthropologist at the University of Delaware, proposes an intriguing line of inquiry: evidence of frostbite in Neanderthals. If they didn’t wear clothes, wouldn’t we expect to find evidence of amputated fingers, toes, or noses? The absence of widespread frostbite in Neanderthal skeletons supports the idea that they wore hand and foot protection.
Cara Ocobock, a human biologist at the University of Notre Dame, points out the likely use of a ‘Neanderthal jockstrap’ for genital protection against the cold. As she aptly puts it, “If the penis falls off, they’re done.”
While the exact garments worn by Neanderthals remain a subject of debate, most researchers agree that they did wear clothes. Previously, scholars envisioned simple loincloths or loose-fitting capes. However, given Neanderthals’ intelligence, Lacy believes they deserve more credit. Looking at the diverse range of Inuit clothing, which includes parkas, pants, and boots, she suspects that Neanderthals might have worn similar outfits.
Lacy hypothesizes that Neanderthal women might have worn looser garments to accommodate pregnancy, and their babies could have been swaddled in furs when not close to a caregiver. “All of these hominins living beyond 40 degrees north latitude are probably our first fashionistas,” Lacy states. “It just makes sense that these people would be the ones innovating clothes.”
The next time you see a picture of a Neanderthal, remember that their image might be missing a crucial detail: their clothing! The evidence suggests they were not just hardy survivors but stylish ones as well.
