Question

In order to learn about past hominin behavior, scientists use comparative studies with living peoples. Identify the modern human behavior or behaviors that anthropologists have identified as most closely aligning with patterns on Neandertal skeletons.

A. Hunting and gathering
B. Agriculture and domestication
C. Coastal fishing and seafood consumption
D. Industrial manufacturing and technology use

Answer 1

The behavior that aligns most closely with patterns observed in Neandertal skeletons is hunting and gathering. This approach reflects 95 percent of human evolutionary history and is supported by evidence such as the archaeological record and comparative studies with modern hunter-gatherer societies.

Step-by-step explanation:

The modern human behavior that anthropologists have identified as most closely aligning with patterns on Neandertal skeletons is A. Hunting and gathering. This mode of subsistence is highly consistent with the archaeological and fossil evidence we have of Neandertal life. Anthropological research suggests that for about 95 percent of human evolutionary history, hominins were reliant on gathering and hunting as their main way of making a living.

The relevance of comparing modern hunter-gatherer societies to ancient hominins lies in the understanding of how early humans might have lived, survived, and interacted with their environment. While it is important to acknowledge that contemporary gathering-hunting groups have evolved and innovated over time, in a Paleolithic context, humans likely led a lifestyle consisting primarily of wild food collection and game hunting, as well as a diet majorly comprising plant-based foods and secondary reliance on animal-based foods.