Neanderthal healthcare practices crucial to survival

[Chris]

Some interesting findings in early healthcare.

Neanderthal healthcare practices crucial to survival

Healthcare practices in this period of human evolution have often been studied alongside complex cultural behaviour, mostly based around research into rituals and symbols associated with death. This new study, however, sets out, for the first time, that healthcare could have had a more strategic role in Neanderthal survival.

...Dr Penny Spikins, from the University of York’s Department of Archaeology, said: “Neanderthals faced multiple threats to their lives, particularly from large and dangerous animals, but in popular culture Neanderthals have such a brutish and strong image that we haven’t really thought too deeply about their vulnerabilities before now.

“We have evidence of healthcare dating back 1.6 million years ago, but we think it probably goes further back than this. We wanted to investigate whether healthcare in Neanderthals was more than a cultural practice; was it something they just did or was it more fundamental to their strategies for survival?

“The high level of injury and recovery from serious conditions, such as a broken leg, suggests that others must have collaborated in their care and helped not only to ease pain, but to fight for their survival in such a way that they could regain health and actively participate in the group again.”

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It also goes on the say Neanderthals assisted in childbirth similar to what midwives do.

[Peter1469]

Great read.

[Chris]

Great read.

Right. Not much to argue with, I tried to find a political angle, but just left it as a new anthropological finding. Primitive societies were highly cooperative, at least within family and tribe. They couldn't have survived otherwise.

[Peter1469]

Right. Not much to argue with, I tried to find a political angle, but just left it as a new anthropological finding. Primitive societies were highly cooperative, at least within family and tribe. They couldn't have survived otherwise.

True. Also, the tribes likely competed rather than cooperated with one another.

[Chris]

True. Also, the tribes likely competed rather than cooperated with one another.

That was certainly a part of primitive life, almost like a sport, and probably caused some of the injuries the tribe had to care for. But I wonder how much. Trade was often used then, one tribe with another, to keep the peace.

[Brett Nortje]

That was certainly a part of primitive life, almost like a sport, and probably caused some of the injuries the tribe had to care for. But I wonder how much. Trade was often used then, one tribe with another, to keep the peace.

Actually, the primitive tribes would have fought over resources more likely then not. If someone that speaks a different language to you, has something you want, and, they do not understand you...

With medicine, the obvious thing is often the right thing. With your example of a broken leg, the others would gather around and try to ease the pain, yes? This would lead to 'baby deductions,' where the mind of a child could be observed to simulate the mind of a Neanderthal, more or less. So, if it seems that someone's leg is bleeding, it is obvious to cover it, yes? From there, you can see how a cast developed, of course.