Small-brained ancient human cousins may have buried their dead, according to a surprising study

Surprising Study Suggests Ancient Human Cousins Buried Their Dead Despite Small Brains

In a startling revelation, it appears that an ancient human cousin possessed the ability to bury its deceased and create intricate cave wall symbols, challenging previous assumptions about the capabilities of creatures with smaller brains.

Discovered a decade ago in underground caves in South Africa, fossil remains of a species called Homo naledi have intrigued researchers. Now, new evidence has emerged indicating that this species exhibited complex behavior typically associated with larger-brained individuals.

Anthropologist Lee Berger, leading the research funded by the National Geographic Society, expressed the significance of the findings, stating, “We are facing a remarkable discovery here, considering the species’ brain size is only one-third that of humans.”

Berger and his team have presented their findings in recently published studies, although they have not yet undergone peer review. Some experts argue that further evidence is necessary to challenge existing knowledge about the evolution of human cognitive abilities.

“There is still much to uncover,” commented Rick Potts, director of the Smithsonian’s Human Origins Program, who was not involved in the research.

Homo naledi is a relatively new addition to the hominin family tree, which includes our direct ancestors and other extinct relatives who walked upright. Berger’s team unveiled this species in 2015 after spelunkers alerted them to the Rising Star cave system near Johannesburg. Excavations in the area revealed fossils from approximately 15 individuals who lived around 300,000 years ago.

While H. naledi shared some traits with modern humans, such as bipedalism and dexterous hands, other characteristics appeared more ancient, notably their small brains, according to anthropologist John Hawks from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a member of the research team.

In recent years, the researchers returned to the caves, navigating challenging underground passageways. Their subsequent findings have shed new light on this species.

One study details the discovery of intentional burial sites, where fossil remains of adults and children were found in shallow pits, exhibiting a fetal position.

Another study describes various engravings on cave walls, including geometric patterns and cross-hatched lines.

“This kind of artistic expression requires substantial time and effort,” explained Berger, who initiated the research while affiliated with the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

Experts find it astonishing that a creature with a brain more comparable to an ape’s than a human’s displayed such behavior.

Chris Stringer, a human evolution expert from London’s Natural History Museum not involved in the study, remarked, “Decades ago, we believed that Homo sapiens were the sole species capable of using fire, burying their dead, or creating art.” Subsequent discoveries, including the complex lives of Neanderthals, challenged this assumption. However, those species still possessed larger brains, unlike H. naledi. The burial practices of H. naledi raise further questions about the evolution of human behavior, Stringer noted.

As scientists have yet to determine the age of the engravings, the current evidence cannot definitively attribute them to H. naledi. Rick Potts suggests that it remains unclear whether H. naledi was truly responsible for these symbols or if another creature, including H. sapiens, ventured into the caves at some point.

For Agustin Fuentes, an anthropologist from Princeton University and one of the study authors, the evidence from H. naledi shifts the focus away from brain size.

“Although big brains remain important,” Fuentes stated, “they do not solely explain what we previously believed.”

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More about Ancient Human Cousins, Burial Practices, Small Brains

• National Geographic Society
• Smithsonian’s Human Origins Program
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Anthropology Department
• London’s Natural History Museum
• Princeton University Anthropology Department