From an early age, the inevitability and finality of death profoundly shape our lives. Our capacity to comprehend the sorrow of our eventual end, as well as the loss of connection, is a fundamental aspect of what it means to be human. These understandings have fostered iconic rituals that are deeply embedded in human culture.
Historically, we have presumed that Homo sapiens is the only human species aware of the mortality inherent in living beings. However, as detailed in “What Ancient Humans Thought When They Began Burying the Dead,” archaeologists are challenging the notion that a significant emotional response to death is uniquely ours.
A particularly provocative assertion is that ancient humans, vastly different from us, established the death ritual. But evidence points to Homo naledi, an ancient human from southern Africa, whose brain was only one-third the size of ours and who lived at least 245,000 years ago. It remains unclear what drove these early humans to develop a culture surrounding death; one intriguing, though speculative, theory posits they did so to help younger members of their community cope with the loss of others.
Many controversies surround claims regarding H. naledi and their burial practices, primarily concerning the evidence’s quality. Nevertheless, since the mid-20th century, researchers have worked to bridge the behavioral gap between our species and others, propelled by studies revealing that many animals lead emotionally complex lives. Some even create their own rituals when encountering death within their communities. This adds weight to the argument that our ancestors may have developed their own cultural practices surrounding death as far back as 500,000 years ago, suggesting that H. naledi might also have established a burial tradition.
Archaeologists question whether a profound response to death is exclusively our domain.
A striking reflection of melancholy regarding H. naledi suggests that they may have aided the younger generation in confronting the weight of loss. This consideration brings into question our understanding of what it means to be human, and whether our ancestors were as unique as we assume in processing the concept of loss.
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Source: www.newscientist.com
