What are the main differences between Neanderthals and Cro- Magnon people?

Question

What are the main differences between Neanderthals and Cro- Magnon people?

Answer 1

I believe the latest theory about what became of the Neanderthals, the last evidence of whom was in what is now western Spain, was that they interbred with the Cro-Magnons and were thus absorbed into the general population.

Answer 2

Cro-magnon is the term used to describe the earliest anatomically modern  Europeans who arrived in Europe around 40,000 years ago.  Basically, a Cro-magnon is the same, mentally and physically, as the average modern European.  If you are Caucasian, you basically are Cro-magnon.  These are simply the Anatomically Modern Humans (AMH) that pre-date written history.   Besides looking like us, all indications point to Cro-magnon man using language, tools, music, art, etc...  Art especially points to higher cognitive functions such as recognition of self and symbols.

Neandertals (both spellings are acceptable)  are a genetic cousin of Homo-sapiens that lived in Europe for about 240,000 (300,00 years ago) BEFORE the arrival of Cro-magnon man.  Neandertals were shorter and much stockier than cro-magnon, with heavier bone structures, and receding chins.  There is little evidence of self recognition in Neandertal.  No confirmed art, no confirmed symbological understanding.

  Although there is an ongoing debate as to the fate of Neandertal man, recent evidence suggests that Neandertal was actually killed off by a a combination of Cro-magnon encroachment and cold weather.

I hope I have been able to help.

Answer 3

I think the Cro-Magnon people were a little more smart.

Answer 4

Neanderthals are members of the species Homo sapiens neanderthalensis (or H. neanderthalensis depending on who you ask).  Cro-Magnon man was actually an early population of anatomically modern H. sapiens sapiens specific to an area in Europe.

Some differences (just few) were:

-Neanderthals actually had a slightly larger brain

-Neanderthals had a more sloped and shorter forehead

-the nasal cavities of the Neanderthals were longer (thought to be a cold climate adaptation)

-Cro-Magnon man showed more evidence of possible ritual activity and abstract thought

-Cro-Magnon man is associated with the cave paintings we see, such as those at Lascaux in France

-although the two populations lived side-by-side for quite some time, Neanderthals lived earlier (Middle Paleolithci) than Cro-Magnon man (Upper Paleolithic)

-Neanderthals are associated with the Mousterian and Levellois tool technologies; Cro-Magnon are associated with the Aurignacian tool technology

Answer 5

Cro Magnon are modern humans.  I don't think we can say they were caucasion though the type fossils were from France and it wouldn't surpise me if they were light skinned since they lived during and near Ice Ages.  Neanderthals have a beetle brow and had more primitive tools.  Neanderthals were short and very strong.  Thier bones are very thick and rounded compared to ours.  Their forehead sloped back.  Their brain size was comparable to ours.  They were aparently able to speak though it is a somewhat controversial subject.  Neanderthals apparently ambushed animals in the forest.  They were only known to eat meat.  Neanderthals apparently died around 25 to 30 thousand years ago.  At least those were the latest fossils we have found to date. Cro-Magnon survived to become you and me (apparently).