Night at the Museum

As we entered the Neanderthal Museum on a Saturday evening, the lights were already turned off. Specifically for us, the doors were opened once again because it was Movie Night! For our paleo experts and researchers, this was a unique experience: a night alone in the museum, accompanied by classic Neanderthal films and snacks. Everything was prepared in the auditorium, and the night promised to be full of Neanderthal stereotypes in iconic movies.

The evening started with "Krog: 70,000 BC", a US TV series from the 1970s that aimed to inform the public about the life of Neanderthals. It quickly became apparent that the portrayal of Neanderthals was heavily influenced by the 1970s zeitgeist. Neanderthals in furs, in a supposedly warm, summery climate, with conspicuous facial makeup mimicking Neanderthal morphology – crooked, protruding teeth, a prominent overbite, and a rather dull gaze. The behaviors and communication of Neanderthals were adapted to modern concepts, from time reckoning in days and weeks to patriarchal structures and the concept of marriage. It was evident how modern zeitgeist was projected onto the lives of Pleistocene people, with the role of women seemingly fixed for over 70,000 years.

"Quest for Fire", an 80s classic, was also part of the Neanderthal Movie Night. After a devastating attack on the Neanderthal group, the carefully guarded fire extinguishes, and the Neanderthals are driven into the wilderness. They find themselves stranded in a marsh without fire for warmth and cooking. Three Neanderthals are sent out to find fire, and it quickly becomes clear that they are not the brightest. With drool at the corners of their mouths and mouths constantly agape, they roam around without knowing how to start a fire. Their communication is limited to grunts, snorts, and hisses, without proper language or sounds. They encounter a Homo sapiens woman who possesses knowledge of medicine, body painting, and sexual positions and ultimately brings them fire. The conclusion is that the Neanderthal is depicted as the dumb little brother of humans. Today, we know that the Neanderthal had everything the Homo sapiens had, all without the help of our species. We can also attribute the use and production of fire to the Neanderthals. Entertainment-wise, "Quest for Fire" was well-received, especially because of the rather blunt humor of the Neanderthals.

To conclude, there was a more modern encounter with "AO: The Last Hunter" from 2010, the youngest Neanderthal film of the night. But here too, some stereotypes that were already present in the 70s and 80s are noticeable. Open mouths, a subdued gaze, and limited communication skills characterize the image of the Neanderthal. However, AO, marked by tragic events, also exhibits very modern traits. He also encounters a Homo sapiens woman who shows him a lot and teaches him, but his drive is the desire to be a family man. The Neanderthal is portrayed as balanced and harmonious with his environment, fascinated by nature and the balance it brings, while the modern human appears aggressive, destructive, and bloodthirsty. Perhaps a critique of us as destroyers of the world?

These films reflect how the image of the Neanderthal has changed over the past 50 years. They aim to entertain, bring the unfamiliar way of life closer, and be educational, but filmmakers still resort to old stereotypes to characterize the Neanderthal. Perhaps out of fear that otherwise, they will not be recognized as Neanderthals? How much makeup or plastic teeth are really necessary to portray a Neanderthal?

All three films are worth watching. They provided researchers and paleo experts with some exciting points of discussion.