Homo neanderthalensis

Overview

Homo neanderthalensis, the Neanderthal, is a fossil human described as having a short, robust body. Forearm and lower-leg bones are described as short and thick. Several features can be compared in the head and limbs.^[1]

Key facts

Beyond the overall impression of the trunk, short, thick forearm and lower-leg bones are characteristic. Considering each limb region separately reveals body proportions in greater detail.^[1]

Time and place

It is treated as a Pleistocene fossil human. The Pleistocene is a broad interval from approximately 2.6 million to 12,000 years ago. Head and limb material from several specimens provides the basis for understanding Neanderthal form.^[1][2]

The time range describes source context, not the complete duration of this species.

Size, form and skeleton

The body is described as shorter and more robust than that of modern humans. Facial descriptions include a large midface and nose and angular cheekbones. Head features can be compared alongside short, thick forearms and lower legs.^[1]

The Smithsonian account gives an average male height of about 164 cm.^[4]

The same institutional account gives an average female height of about 155 cm.^[4]

The same institutional account gives an average male body mass of about 65 kg.^[4]

The same institutional account gives an average female body mass of about 54 kg.^[4]

Habitat and reproduction

Which body regions can be compared among fossil humans? Neanderthal skulls and limb bones convey different features. Considering them alongside erectus material from the same genus, Homo, reveals diverse bodies within one genus.^[1][3]

Fossil discovery

The institutional account introduces the nearly complete skeleton from La Chapelle-aux-Saints. Reconstruction material based on Shanidar 1 is also separately linked. Fossils of several individuals reveal different regions of the same species’ body.^[1]

References

1. Smithsonian Human Origins guide — Neanderthals
2. International Commission on Stratigraphy (2024) — Geological time chart
3. Smithsonian Human Origins guide — Homo erectus
4. Smithsonian Human Origins — Homo neanderthalensis

Research questions

What information can one individual’s skeleton add within the same species? Comparing several specimens helps distinguish shared features from the regions that each source allows us to examine. This research uses species descriptions alongside individual fossils.^[1]

Observation

Move your gaze from the middle of the face and cheekbones to the limbs. Examining the short, thick forearm and lower-leg bones together allows several head and body features to be compared.^[1]