146,000 years Old Fossil of a Neanderthal Child with Down Syndrome Found in a Cave in Spain

A remarkable discovery in a cave in Spain has revealed that a Neanderthal child with Down syndrome lived around 146,000 years ago, shedding light on the care and compassion of ancient human relatives. 

The fossilized ear bone, unearthed from the Cova Negra archaeological site in Valencia province, suggests that the Neanderthal community cared for this vulnerable child until the age of six, challenging long-held stereotypes of Neanderthals as brutish and uncaring.

The tiny fossil was excavated in 1989 but was only recently identified as significant during a review of faunal fragments. 

The peculiar proportions of its semicircular canals, characteristic of Neanderthals, helped researchers make the identification. 

Abnormalities in the ear bone led the team to conclude that the child had Down syndrome. 

These abnormalities included an abnormal shape of the lateral semicircular canal, an enlarged vestibular aqueduct, and a reduction in the overall size of the cochlea bone chamber.

Paleoanthropologist Mercedes Conde-Valverde, the lead author of the study published in the journal Science Advances, explained that the child suffered from severe hearing loss, balance issues, vertigo, and muscle weakness. 

These conditions would have made daily activities, such as breastfeeding and movement, particularly challenging. 

The fact that the child lived until the age of six indicates that the community provided continuous and intensive care.

Life in the Stone Age was demanding, and Neanderthals were highly mobile, regularly moving from place to place. 

The care required for the child to survive for an extended period likely involved the cooperation and support of the entire group. 

The mother's reliance on others for assistance underscores the communal nature of Neanderthal society. 

This finding supports the idea of true altruism among Neanderthals, who cared for their vulnerable members without expectation of reciprocity.

The study adds to a growing body of evidence that Neanderthals were capable of compassion and care for the vulnerable. 

Previous findings have shown that Neanderthals looked after individuals with severe disabilities. 

For example, a Neanderthal man buried in Shanidar Cave in Iraq had multiple disabilities, yet lived a long life, suggesting he received care from his group. 

Similarly, the "Old Man of La Chapelle" in France, who had degenerative arthritis, likely depended on others for food and care.

The discovery of the Cova Negra fossil reveals that Neanderthals not only cared for adult individuals with disabilities but also provided extra-maternal care to children who could not reciprocate. 

This behavior indicates that Neanderthals, like modern humans, had an instinctive and emotional response to care for the vulnerable, ensuring their survival.

Penny Spikins, a professor of archaeology at the University of York, noted that this find underscores the similarities between Neanderthals and modern humans in their desire to care for the vulnerable. 

She emphasized that humans likely evolved an emotional response to infant care, ensuring their survival. 

This discovery illustrates that the Neanderthal child was likely loved and looked after like any other, highlighting the deep-seated human connection to care and compassion.

This significant find challenges the long-standing view of Neanderthals and provides a glimpse into the social and emotional lives of our ancient relatives. 

It reinforces the notion that care for the vulnerable has deep roots in human history, extending back to our Neanderthal cousins.