The traditional image of Neanderthals as ruthless predators has been changing in recent years, thanks to archaeological discoveries that highlight their empathetic behavior and ability to provide ongoing care to vulnerable members of their tribe. A recent study by Spanish researchers also supports this view, revealing a fascinating case of a Neanderthal child with Down syndrome who lived to be six or seven years old, well beyond the typical life expectancy for children with Down syndrome in prehistoric times.
An exceptional case
The remains of the Neanderthal child were discovered at the Paleolithic site of Black Cove in Valencia (Italy), among fossils dating from the prehistoric era. Analysis of the bones revealed congenital malformations characteristic of Down syndrome (trisomy 21)including abnormalities in fragments of the inner ear that would have affected hearing and balance.
This case is remarkable not only because of the presence of Down syndrome in Neanderthals, but also because the child has received continuous care until an advanced age for the time.
As a reminder, this syndrome is due to a genetic anomaly resulting in an additional chromosome 21. Physically, the child would likely have presented a characteristic face with upward-slanted almond-shaped eyes and a shorter stature than the average Neanderthal. Short hands with a unique crease at the palm would also have been observed, as would a possible (larger) tongue anomaly, although these specific details require direct bone evidence for confirmation.
In terms of health, mild to moderate intellectual disabilities would have affected his cognitive development and learning abilities. This child would also have been at increased risk of cardiac, gastrointestinal, and vision and hearing impairments, symptoms that could have posed additional challenges in prehistoric daily life.
Finally, behaviorally, this child would likely have exhibited kind and sociable personality traits, a common characteristic among individuals with this syndrome. However, learning and communication difficulties would also have influenced his interactions within his Neanderthal tribe.
What anthropological implications?
The researchers speculated about the nature of this care, noting that the nomadic and demanding lifestyle of Neanderthals would have made it difficult for a single mother to provide the necessary care for the child while continuing the daily activities essential to the group. This conclusion suggests an early form of collaborative parenting and social support within Neanderthal communities, long before these concepts were commonly attributed to our ancestors.
The importance of this discovery thus goes beyond the simple isolated medical case; it challenges previous assumptions that prosocial and empathetic behaviors were exclusively unique to Homo sapiens and emerged only with cultural and technological development. The prolonged care given to the Neanderthal child suffering from Down syndrome indeed suggests a form of intrinsic altruism within Neanderthal populations, regardless of the direct benefits that these actions could provide in the short term.
This discovery once again supports the idea that Neanderthals had a underestimated social complexity and emotional intelligence, perhaps sharing similar behavioral traits with Homo sapiens in parental care and social cooperation. It could also indicate that the foundations of behaviors such as altruism and social cooperation go back much further in our shared evolutionary history than previously assumed.
Details of the study are published in the journal Science Advances.
