The Shanidar Cave Neanderthals

Shanidar Cave is a unique archaeological site in Kurdistan where scientists found the remains of 10 Neanderthal men, women, and children. Some of these individuals had survived serious injuries, and one seemed to have been buried with flowers beneath his body. The discoveries at Shanidar challenged long-standing ideas of who Neanderthals were and what separates our species from theirs. Now, more than 50 years after the original excavations, scientists have returned to Shanidar to answer lingering questions about the Neanderthals who lived and died there.

Double your impact

Support Origin Stories with a one-time or monthly donation. Your gift will be matched, and every dollar helps make this show possible. Go to leakeyfoundation.org/originstories to donate.

Links to learn more

The Shanidar Cave Project

Ralph Solecki's excavations

Ralph S. and Rose L. and Solecki Papers at the Smithsonian

Shanidar Z: 75,000-year-old face revealed

More about Shanidar Z

Shanidar Cave location

New Shanidar research on cooking

Revisiting the flower burial