Did Neanderthals Accessorize?

It seems like every time Neanderthals are in the news lately, it’s because researchers are confirming a biblical creation prediction and are helping to reject the view that the Neanderthals were some primitive sub-humans. And the latest news reports about Neanderthals are no exception. Reportedly, researchers took a “fresh examination of prehistoric eagle talons discovered more than 100 years ago,” and they reveal “that our ancient relatives made and wore their own jewelry.” These eagle talons contained marks that seem to be man-made, and researchers speculate that they were linked together to form a bracelet or a necklace. Reportedly, the white-tailed eagles these talons came from are difficult to catch, which shows that Neanderthals were likely skilled in trapping and hunting. The author of the study reportedly stated, “It fits in with this general picture that's emerging that Neanderthals were much more modern in their behavior.” Indeed, “deliberately making or wearing jewelry would suggest some degree of symbolic thought, as well as planning.”

Research is increasingly emerging that confirms what biblical creationists have been saying for years—Neanderthals were completely human! We now know that they used fire, buried their dead with rituals, and made art—all human characteristics. Evolutionists originally depicted Neanderthals as sub-human, unintelligent brutes. Biblical creationists, however, recognized that Neanderthals had all the hallmarks of being human and, therefore, they must have been descendants of Adam and Eve, made in God’s image, just like us.

So why did evolutionists in the not too distant past reach such radically different conclusions about Neanderthals than biblical creationists did? Because we have completely different starting points! Evolutionists start with man’s ideas about the past that life—including human life—evolved slowly over millions of years. According to these evolutionary ideas, we should expect to find sub-humans who had less intelligence. But when you start with God’s Word, you get an entirely different picture. God created all life—including human life—fully formed and functioning from the beginning. Humans were made in God’s image (Genesis 1:31), so there were no unintelligent brutes. Creationists and evolutionists reached completely different conclusions about the past because we have completely different starting points!

As more and more evidence emerges—like evidence that Neanderthals made and wore jewelry—it continues to confirm exactly what we would expect if the Bible’s history is true. There never were sub-humans or unintelligent brutes. Humans have always been intelligent and made in God’s image from the very beginning. As more research and evidence comes to light, secular science continues to catch up with what the Bible teaches. God’s Word is true from the very beginning!

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.