Cultural Evolution: The Human Evolution from a Cultural Perspective

Museum space in which human evolution is explained from the biological point of view

By Museum of Human Evolution

Museum of Human Evolution (MEH)

Bronze axe from the Mirador site (-3000)Museum of Human Evolution

Technology

The first tools we show you how humans always strive to improve.

Spear-thrower with bison decoration, -13000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Spear-thrower with bison decoration.

Sample of portable art on reindeer antler. Realistic representation of a bison in a minimal space: the piece measures 10 cm.

Elephant tibia with engraved lines, -400.000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Elephant tibia with engraved lines.

Elephant tibia fragment with groups of parallel incisions.
Lower Palaeolithic.

Bronze axe from the Mirador site, -3000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Bronze axe from the Mirador site.

Axe made of cast bronze.
Bronze Age.

Carved arrowhead from the Hotel California site, Homo neanderthalensis, -46000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Carved arrowhead.

Lithic technology characteristic of Homo neanderthalensis.
Middle-Upper Palaeolithic.

Neanderthal ornament (-34000)Museum of Human Evolution

Arts

The creative spirit of Homo Sapiens.

Marble bracelet from the Portalón site, -6200/-5000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Marble bracelet.

Fragment of bracelet made of grey marble.
Neolitic.

Flute, -37000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Bone flute.

Flute made of a swan ulna decorated with engraved lines.
Upper Palaeolithic. Aurignacian.

Neanderthal ornament, -34000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Neanderthal necklace.

Decorative object composed of fox teeth and hyoid bones. It is part of a moment of conviviality between Neanderthals and Sapiens.
Middle-Upper Palaeolithic.

Portalón's Bell-Beaker pottery (-4400/-3900)Museum of Human Evolution

Symbolism

The importance of symbolism in human evolution.

Venus of Brassempouy, -25000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Venus.

It is made of mammoth ivory. Sculpture en ronde-bosse representing the head and neck of a woman.
Upper Palaeolithic. Gravettian.

Portalón's Bell-Beaker pottery, -4400/-3900, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Vessel.

Technical name: Shard of beaker pottery and complete reproduction of it. Fragment of a bell beaker of Maritime type. Typical ceramic of funeral rites.
Chalcolithic.

Feathered Neanderthal (2011/2012) by Fabio FogliazzaMuseum of Human Evolution

Neanderthals

Coexisted with our species.

Neanderthal, Elisabeth Daynès, -50000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Homo neanderthalensis is a species that coexisted with ours and was one of the last to become extinct.

Feathered Neanderthal, Fabio Fogliazza, 2011/2012, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Reconstruction of bust of Homo neanderthalensis. This sculpture is based on one of the most complete skulls of Homo neanderthalensis, the one from the cave of La Ferrassie, in the French Dordogne.
Author: Fabio Fogliazza.

Diorama of a sapiens camp (-22000)Museum of Human Evolution

Camps

Lifestyles.

Diorama of a Neanderthal camp, -40000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Diorama of a Neanderthal camp.

Diorama showing the life of Mediterranean Neanderthals.
Middle Palaeolithic.

Diorama of a sapiens camp, -22000, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Diorama of a sapiens camp.

Diorama showing what the everyday life of a group of hunter-gatherers belonging to our species (Homo sapiens) was like.
Upper Palaeolithic.

Scenography of washing in the river, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Scenography of washing in the river.

In Atapuerca, the sediment is taken to be washed using sieves of different thicknesses, which allow the recovery of remains that are sometimes imperceptible to the human eye.

Fire projection (2010) by Javier TruebaMuseum of Human Evolution

Fire

The importance of fire in human evolution.

Fire projection, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Elliptical zinc structure with little dots of red light that simulate a fire ember (interior view).

Fire: elliptical zinc structure. Exterior view, From the collection of: Museum of Human Evolution
Show lessRead more

Elliptical zinc structure with little dots of red light that simulate a fire ember (external view).

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more

Interested in History?

Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly

You are all set!

Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites