Final answer:
Neanderthals, or Homo neanderthalensis, are the early species that had large heads, lived in European caves, and interacted with modern humans. They had robust physiques and larger brain volumes than modern humans and coexisted with early Homo sapiens sapiens around 30,000 years ago in places like the cave of Lascaux, France.
Step-by-step explanation:
The early species that had large heads, lived in caves in Europe, and had contact with modern humans is classified as Homo neanderthalensis, commonly referred to as Neanderthals. These prehistoric humans are known for their robust build, with adult brains ranging from 1,450 to 1,650 cubic centimeters in volume, larger on average than that of modern humankind. Neanderthals made use of fire, hunted large game, and practiced body decoration with paints.
Locations like the cave of Lascaux in France are significant archaeological sites where both Neanderthals and early modern humans (early Homo sapiens sapiens) were known to coexist around 30,000 years ago. The harsh climate of the time and the scarcity of resources made survival a challenge for these species. Neanderthals evolved from Homo erectus and inhabited Europe and western Asia roughly between 30,000 and 200,000 years ago, demonstrating a considerable overlap period with modern humans.