Neanderthal Art
Public perception of Neanderthals imagines them as dim cavemen who were effectively wiped out by the more advanced homo sapiens. Modern research has begun to contradict this point, with recent findings indicating that Neanderthals were more similar to modern humans than many have previously thought. One significant example is the finding of painted shells in Italy that have been dated to a period before homo sapiens arrived in Europe. These ornamental pieces may have been decorated by Neanderthals, suggesting that these early people may have created and collected artwork.