According to the cladogram of primates shown, which key cultural feature was shared exclusively by only homo sapiens and Neanderthals?
A. Burying dead/religious beliefs
B. Artistic creation
C. Walking upright
D. Tool building
The correct answer and explanation is :
The key cultural feature that was shared exclusively by Homo sapiens and Neanderthals, according to the cladogram of primates, is A. Burying dead/religious beliefs.
Explanation:
The practice of burying the dead and the associated religious or spiritual beliefs is a cultural trait that sets Homo sapiens and Neanderthals apart from other species in the primate family. Evidence from archaeological sites suggests that both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens engaged in deliberate burial practices. These burials often included the positioning of bodies, sometimes with grave goods or symbolic artifacts, which implies an awareness of death and possibly an early form of spirituality or belief in an afterlife.
Neanderthal Burials: There is substantial evidence that Neanderthals practiced burial rituals, such as the discovery of carefully placed burials in sites like La Chapelle-aux-Saints and Shanidar. In these burials, Neanderthals were often placed in specific positions, and in some cases, there were signs of flowers or other offerings, suggesting a potential spiritual or ritualistic component to these burials.
Homo sapiens Burials: Homo sapiens, especially in the Upper Paleolithic period, began to engage in more complex burial practices, sometimes with elaborate grave goods, such as tools, jewelry, and even cave art found in burial sites like Sungir in Russia. These burials also suggest symbolic thinking and possibly religious or spiritual beliefs about death and the afterlife.
While other cultural features, such as walking upright (C. Walking upright), tool-building (D. Tool building), and artistic creation (B. Artistic creation), are also associated with Homo sapiens and, to some extent, with Neanderthals, the concept of burying the dead with symbolic meaning or religious undertones is much more strongly tied to these two species, marking it as an exclusive cultural trait.