What is Neanderthal 1?
[[File:Neander1.jpg|thumb|Neanderthal 1: The dark colored bone was found in 1856, the lighter colored one in the 2000s]] '''Neanderthal 1''' is the name of the first [[fossil]] found that was clearly identified as a [[Neanderthal]] (''Homo neanderthalensis''). Sometimes this fossil is also called '''Feldhofer 1''', but that name is less common. It is not the first fossil found of a Neanderthal, but before this find, the importance of the fossils was unclear. The fossil is part of a [[skull]], with a fragment of the left [[temporal bone]], part of the right [[scapula]] (shoulder blade), the right [[clavicle]], both [[Humerus|humeri]] (bones in the upper arm), one [[Radius (bone)|radius]] (a bone in the [[forearm]]), both [[ulna]]e (another bone in the forearm), five [[rib]]s, an almost complete half [[pelvis]], and both [[femur]]s.<ref>Friedemann Schrenk, Stephanie Müller 2005. ''Die Neandertaler.'' C.H. Beck, München S. 14. {{ISBN|3-406-50873-1}}</ref> Studies done in 1999 included a [[radiocarbon dating]] of the bones: The bones were fouund to be about 39.900 ± 620 years old.<ref>Gerd-Christian Weniger 2006. ''Mettmann – Fundort Neandertal.'' In: Heinz Günter Horn (Hrsg.): ''Neandertaler + Co.'' Verlag Philipp von Zabern, Mainz am Rhein , S. 187, {{ISBN|978-3-8053-3603-1}}</ref> This means this Neanderthal was from one of the last Neanderthal [[population]]s in [[Europe]]. In the 1990s and 2000s, bones from two other Neanderhals were found nearby, they are called Neanderthal 2 and Neanderthal 3 respectively. Neanderthal 2 has the same age, but a lighter build. Neanderthal 3 was probably a [[teenager]].<ref>Ralf W. Schmitz ''et al'' 2002. The Neandertal type site revisited: interdisciplinary investigations of skeletal remains from the Neander Valley, Germany. ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA'', 99,20 13342–13347, p. 13344.</ref> Neanderthal 1 was [[male]]. At the time of death, he was between 40 and 42 years old. ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Hominins]]