17. Physical Characteristics of Neanderthals

Return to History 8 Human Origins Concepts

Neanderthal Characteristics

H. Neanderthalensis was a compact species, the tallest they would grow was 5'5". The appendages and limbs of H. Neandethalensis were shorter and stubbier, allowing for less heat to escape. They would weigh around 225 pounds, but their body was very muscular, built more than the average human today. There bones were 10% to 20% thicker than our bones, providing some relief from all the fractures they received. Their nose was wide and flat, allowing air to warm up before reaching the lungs, or allowing them to cool down in the harsh cold climate. Their skull was long and low, and inside was a brain ranging from 1,500 cc to 1,700 cc. The jaw and teeth of H. Neanderthalensis were larger. Their brow ridge was topped by a flat and receding forehead.

--Connor Bailey

Lab Manual pp (26) [[1]]