Neanderthals and human lived side by side in Middle Eastern caves and even interbred, research finds

Neanderthals may have lived side by side with early humans and possibly interbred with them, according to new research.

Stone axes and sharp flint arrowheads of both branches of the human race have been discovered in limestone caves in northern Israel.

The findings, reported in the Times, have led archeologists to believe the two sub-species found harmony in a coastal mountain range that today is in a state of war with its neighbours.

Heritage site: The Nahal Me'arot (Cave River) nature reserve containing caves used by prehistoric men

Cave dwellers: A reconstruction of how Neanderthal men and women may have lived thousands of years ago

None of the bones uncovered at Nahal Me'arot - a World Heritage site - had lethal wounds which suggested prehistoric men lived in peace with each other 80,000 years ago.

Neanderthals were much more sophisticated than they have been credited, according to archeologist Daniel Kaufman - with their own burial rituals and probably language skills alongside their ability to make tools.

He told writer James Hilder that he believed peaceful cross-breeding was more likely than the result of rape attacks.



Kaufman said: 'If that interbreeding did take place, it must have been here. To call someone a Neanderthal is insulting to the Neanderthal.'

Genetic studies have indicated that modern Europeans have between 1 and four per cent of their genes from Neanderthals, who died out 28,000 years ago.

The steep-sided valley also includes the cave sites of Tabun, Jamal, el-Wad and Skhul and has cultural deposits representing half a million years of human evolution.



There is evidence of early stone architecture and exchanging the hunter-gathering lifestyle for agriculture and animal husbandry.



British archeologist Dorothy Garrod first explored the caves in 1928. Now there are 40,000 visitors a year.