Toronto: Humans were able to survive the Ice Age because they figured out how to make parka-like clothing to keep warm, unlike the Neanderthals who perished, a new study suggests.
Researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada studied camp site evidence from both groups to understand why just one group was able to survive.
The findings suggest Neanderthals might have perished because they were not able to sufficiently warm themselves using animal fur.
Researchers analysed data from campsites used by early humans and Neanderthals and then compared the two. One major difference they noted was the lack of the type of animal remains around Neanderthal sites that would have
suggested they were used to make warm clothes. The researchers found multiple examples of animals such as fox, rabbit, or mink - and particularly Wolverine - remains around 56 early human campfires, all of which could have been skinned to allow for use in creating a fur coat or parka, 'Phys.org' reported.
The finding of Wolverine remains was of particular note because it is the same animal that people living in the Arctic in modern times turn to keep warm because it works so well as a liner and fringe around the hood. Other evidence of humans crafting warm clothes has been found as well, such as bone needles for sewing and other tools that could be used to scrape pelts, researchers said.
Also, a set of figurines wearing parka-like coats and dating back about 24,000 years was found in Siberia. No such evidence of Neanderthals wearing crafted clothes has ever been found.
