Shanidar Cave, located in the Zagros Mountains of Iraq’s Kurdish autonomous region, is home to one of the most intriguing and debated Neanderthal archaeological sites. This site, situated in a mountainous region that borders Iran and southeastern Türkiye, has yielded evidence that has fueled hypotheses about Neanderthal behavior, including the idea of complex funerary practices. A collaborative team of researchers from Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Cambridge, and the University of London has recently revisited one of the most controversial findings from Shanidar Cave: the so-called “Flower Burial.”
The “Flower Burial” hypothesis emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, following the excavations led by archaeologist Ralph Solecki, who proposed that a Neanderthal individual, Shanidar 4, had been buried with flowers. Pollen grains were discovered around Shanidar 4, leading to the suggestion that Neanderthals performed a form of ritual or care, placing flowers in the grave as a sign of affection, respect, or possibly medicinal purpose. This groundbreaking hypothesis suggested that Neanderthals, previously regarded as brutish and primitive, might have had a capacity for empathy and complex social behaviors similar to modern humans.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, titled “Shanidar et ses fleurs? Reflections on the palynology of the Neanderthal ‘Flower Burial’ hypothesis,” researchers provided fresh insights into the origin of the pollen found in the grave. They argued that rather than being placed intentionally by Neanderthals, the pollen was likely deposited by bees. This finding calls into question whether the pollen was evidence of a funerary offering and adds complexity to the interpretation of Neanderthal cultural practices.
The initial hypothesis by Solecki had a transformative impact on the understanding of Neanderthals. However, subsequent researchers have scrutinized the finding, debating alternative explanations for the pollen’s presence. Solecki himself noted that the pollen could have arrived with the excavation team, as some of the local workers were known to wear flowers, although he eventually ruled this out. Moreover, the pollen around Shanidar 4 showed signs of ancient aging, such as flattening and corrosion, consistent with being contemporaneous with the Neanderthal remains. However, instead of a carefully arranged floral offering, the new analysis suggests that pollen may have been deposited by solitary bees, known to nest in caves and capable of transporting pollen from various plants during their foraging.
The researchers noted that bee burrows, often less disturbed in the deeper cave areas, are still present today. The ancient burrows show distinct characteristics: they are typically shallow, with a diameter of 6–8 mm, and display durable linings that persist over time. The team observed ancient bee burrow linings in the cave sediments, suggesting an active bee presence at the time of the Neanderthal burial. Modern conditions indicate that the range of flowers represented in the Shanidar pollen samples could not all bloom simultaneously, which further supports the theory that pollen accumulation over time—likely through bee activity—was responsible for the taxonomically mixed pollen clusters found near Shanidar 4.
The analysis does leave some questions unresolved, however. Only three of the 21 samples containing pollen from the cave were associated with Neanderthal remains, raising the possibility of other factors, such as small animals or even Neanderthal activity, contributing to the pollen’s presence. Additionally, another Neanderthal skeleton found in Shanidar, known as Shanidar Z, contained unexpected fragments of wood within the burial dirt, suggesting potential burial practices that are yet to be fully understood.
Solecki’s original hypothesis was part of a broader attempt to reframe perceptions of Neanderthals as beings capable of care and emotional expression, challenging the early 20th-century view of them as mere primitives. His conclusions were not only controversial but also foundational, influencing interpretations of other archaeological sites where Neanderthal remains exhibited signs of potential burial customs. Indeed, further evidence of intentional Neanderthal burials has been found in Shanidar Cave, such as Shanidar 1, a male Neanderthal with severe injuries, including partial paralysis and possible blindness in one eye. These injuries suggest that Shanidar 1 received long-term care from his community, indicating compassion and cooperation within Neanderthal groups.
Even if the pollen around Shanidar 4 is confirmed to be of non-human origin, Solecki’s suggestion of intellectually complex Neanderthals remains a significant contribution to the study of human evolution. Subsequent archaeological discoveries across Europe and Asia have strengthened the case for sophisticated Neanderthal behavior. Neanderthals have been shown to create cave paintings, fashion jewelry from eagle talons, use throwing spears, carve ivory and shell beads, and even collect decorative conch shells from distant shorelines. Their technological innovations included tools like fire-starting kits and adhesive birch tar, an early synthetic product used to bind tools.
The “Flower Burial” hypothesis, though questioned, catalyzed a reassessment of Neanderthal intelligence and social life. Today, researchers are more open to seeing Neanderthals as complex, adaptable beings who demonstrated problem-solving, creativity, and social bonds akin to those of early Homo sapiens. Even if flowers were not intentionally laid beside Shanidar 4, the debate surrounding Solecki’s findings sparked a transformative shift in the field, encouraging scholars to approach Neanderthal archaeology with an open mind and to explore the possibility that they shared many behavioral traits with early modern humans.