Best-Preserved Neanderthal Skeleton In Over 25 Years Found In “Flower Funeral” Cave

A highly intact Neanderthal skeleton, dubbed Shanidar Z, was recently unearthed in Shanidar Cave, Iraqi Kurdistan, where previous discoveries have reshaped our understanding of Neanderthal culture and intelligence. This female skeleton, which dates back about 75,000 years, has contributed to a new Netflix documentary, "Secrets of the Neanderthals."

Shanidar Cave has been significant since the 1950s for revealing complex Neanderthal burial practices, including potential "flower funerals." The recent find, located in a special burial cluster, suggests these ancient humans returned to this site over generations to honor their dead. This discovery continues to challenge the notion of Neanderthals as simplistic beings, instead portraying them as capable of complex emotional and social behaviors.