Neanderthals’ Speech Capacities Revealed

November 27, 2023

In a groundbreaking study published in 2021, researchers unveiled evidence that Neanderthals possessed the capacity both to hear and produce speech sounds akin to modern humans. The study, led by palaeoanthropologist Mercedes Conde-Valverde of the University of Alcalá in Spain, utilized high-resolution CT scans and 3D modeling of Neanderthal ear structures to shed light on their linguistic capabilities.

Challenging Outdated Perceptions

Contrary to outdated views depicting Neanderthals as primitive, recent evidence indicates their intelligence, demonstrated through technology, tool crafting, art creation, and funeral rituals. The question of their ability to communicate verbally has long intrigued scientists, with some asserting that only modern humans had the cognitive capacity for complex linguistic processes.

Decoding Neanderthal Hearing Capacities

To unravel the mystery, the research team analyzed the ear structures of Neanderthals and a Sima hominin ancestor, a fossil dating back approximately 430,000 years. By employing auditory bioengineering models, they determined the frequency range to which Neanderthal ears were most sensitive. The results showed that Neanderthals had optimized hearing in the 4 to 5 kilohertz range, similar to modern humans, suggesting a need for vocal communication.

Key Findings and Linguistic Complexity

The study emphasized that Neanderthals possessed a communication system as complex and efficient as modern human speech. Notably, the occupied bandwidth of Neanderthals extended into frequencies involved in consonant production, distinguishing their vocalizations from those of non-human primates.

Implications for Language Evolution

While the anatomical evidence doesn’t confirm cognitive abilities, the researchers highlighted the absence of evidence for complex symbolic behaviors in the Sima hominins, in contrast to the Neanderthals. This parallel suggests a coevolution of complex behaviors and vocal communication abilities. The findings support the idea that Neanderthals had a form of human language, distinct in complexity from communication systems observed in non-human organisms.

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