Homo loquens neanderthalensis? On the symbolic and linguistic capacities of Neandertals

Two Neandertals from El Sidron (Asturias) have been recently analyzed for possible mutations in FOXP2, a gene involved in the faculty of language. Although this gene was believed to be specific to modern humans, the analysis in question revealed otherwise. Such a discovery is raising a reassessment of symbolic and communicative capacities attributed to Neandertals so far. Our purpose is threefold: (1) to make the point that the relevant mutations do not suffice to attribute to an organism a complex linguistic faculty; (2) accordingly, the discovery cannot be used to defend that Neandertals had a modern linguistic faculty; (3) we contend that behavioral asymmetries between Neandertals and modern humans, as shown by the archaeological record, also argues against that view. LABURPENA Asturiasko El Sidron haitzuloko bi neanderthalen DNA fosilari berriki egindako azterketari esker, Neanderthalek FOXP2 genean mutazioak zituztela jakin dugu. Mutazio horiek gizaki modernoek soilik zituztela uste genuen orain arte. FOXP2 gene horrek hizkuntzaren garapenarekin eta erabilerarekin zerikusia duenez, neanderthalen gaitasun sinbolikoa eta komunikaziorako gaitasuna aztertzen hasi dira. Lan honek hiru helburu ditu: (1) mutazio horiek ezin ditugu hizkuntza-gaitasun konplexuaren frogatzat hartu; (2) hori dela eta, aurkikuntza hori ezin dugu erabili neanderthalek hizkuntza-gaitasun modernoa zutela argudiatzeko; eta (3) arkeologia-erregistroan ikus daitekeen neanderthalen eta gizaki modernoen arteko jarreren asimetriak ikuspegi hori ez dela zuzena erakusten digu.