Doubting the Graves: Scientists Reconsider Homo Naledi Burial Claims
Controversies surrounding Homo naledi continue. It appears that the Homo sapiens relative likely did not bury the dead. Researchers have pointed out inconsistencies in their colleagues’ findings.
Our understanding of the evolution of humans’ history is still evolving. New discoveries shed light on when and where our ancestors and relatives migrated. We are also learning more about their daily lives. Some studies lead to surprising conclusions, as was the case earlier this year.
A team of scientists led by Professor Lee Berger from the University of the Witwatersrand claimed that the extinct hominid Homo naledi, which lived around 300,000 years ago, buried its dead and decorated their graves with abstract symbols. Allegedly, the small size of its brain, not much larger than that of a chimpanzee, did not hinder this behavior.
However, did Homo naledi really bury the dead before Homo sapiens?
Doubts are indeed valid. The scientific community has been skeptical of this “groundbreaking” discovery from the beginning. Controversies arose, including the fact that Professor Lee Berger’s team did not invite external experts to analyze the evidence (the bones found in the Rising Star cave system in South Africa).
