What Color Skin did Neanderthals Have?
This week we talked about the origins of skin color in my “Bone Stones and Human Evolution Class” at Mesa Community College.
A short summary of what was learned is that skin color is caused by two main factors. First off, the body’s need of vitamin D plays a role, in northern areas of the world clothing blocks out the sun. Over time people in those area adapted to ensure they received more vitamin D from the sun, they became lighter in color. Some people, like the Eskimos in North America did not need this adaptation because they received enough Vitamin D in the large amounts of fish that they ate.
The other factor of evolutionary skin color was UV Radiation. In class, we were shown a map of the world according to the amount of UV radiation an area received. This map was purposely done in the skin color of humans. In areas like northern Europe where people received less UV radiation, they were lighter in skin color. In the areas that receive more UV Radiation like Africa, people have darker skin color.
Chimpanzees have white skin under their fur. So as we lost our fur we started developing different skin colors to protect ourselves from the Sun and our diet.
This begs the question, what color were the Neanderthal’s? The Neanderthal’s lived only in Europe. According to Neanderthal bones that archeologist have found, Neanderthal looked a lot like we do. Being from Europe, where there is less radiation, they might have been lighter in color. Currently no one knows, but it is an interesting question.
Genetically we are all 99.9% the same. That tenth of a percent determines your skin color. This begs another question, is there really such a thing as race? Years of terrible things have happened over the color of people’s skin. Seems like a dumb reason not to like someone when considering there is only a .1% difference between us.
The picture is a reconstruction of a Neanderthal child from Gibraltar (Anthropological Institute,University of Zürich)
Hi, I came across your blog as I was trying to find the answer as to why different skin colors develop. I too, am taking Bones, Stones and Human Evolution only at Scottsdale Community College instead of Mesa. You really seem to have a grasp on the course. I am, unfortunately struggling with it. It’s an excellerated class 2 nights a week covering 2 chapters a night. So much information, so little time to learn it. Did you also take Magic, Witchcraft and Healing? I saw your blog on Halloween and I myself had to write about the meaning of Halloween for that class. Anyways it was cool to have a found someone else enjoying the class as much as I am.
Jacque
Sorry it took so long to get back to you but I have been busy with school. I did not take Magic, Witchcraft and Healing. I’m starting full time at ASU in the fall and all I have left for my Anthropology degree is upper division credits only, so I most likely will never take it. Good luck at Scottsdale Community College. Maybe I’ll see you over at Mcc in the future.