Anthropology 297NF - ST-Neanderthals: Fact&Fiction

Neandertals! The word evokes images of brutishness and ineptitude. Since their discovery in the 19th century, Neandertals have captured our imagination and have been immortalized in many works of fiction. Over the past three decades, Neandertals have also been at the center of many heated scientific debates, and much has been learned about these Ice Age humans. In this course, we will explore Neandertals from two perspectives: We will examine what is known about them from a scientific perspective ("the facts"). We will also valuate how works of fiction and popular films about Neandertals represent them against what science tells us about them ("the fiction").