Large Neanderthal Settlement found in Greece
It was more than 100,000 years ago when this settlement in Mani, Southern Greece, was occupied by a large number of Neanderthals. The site is called Kalamakia Middle Paleolithic Cave.
The site was found and excavated in 1993 by the National History Museum of Paris and it is dated to be occupied between 100,000 and 37,000 years BC.
The human remains that were found in the cave at Kalamakia include remains of at least 8 people including youngsters that were classified as Neanderthals based on the bones and wear on the teeth that were examined. Furthermore, tools and shells were also found inside the cave.
This settlement adds to all other settlements found in Greece including Laconia and Apidima.
Such a discovery shows that Greece had been a middle point in the migration of Neanderthals from Africa to the rest of the Europe. Caterina Charvati, a palaeontologist of Tübingen’s University in Germany, says that North Mediterranean was a refugee for different human populations during the last Ice Age which finished approximately 15,000 years ago.
We know of course that after all this hassle to migrate to Europe, Neanderthals disappeared suddenly at about 35,000 BC without any trace, which coincides with the Appearance of Homo Sapiens.
Top image: Sculpture in Neanderthal Museum (Public Domain)
By John Black