Paleo-pathological assessment has determined that throughout the course of his life, ‘Nandy’- as he was nicknamed by his excavators- experienced a variety of significant injuries and degeneration. [3]

Speculative illustration of Shanidar I (Miladinovic).

A major blow to the head likely rendered him at least partially blind in his left eye, on top of profound hearing loss from bone spurs in both ear canals. Examination of these exostoses yielded a diagnosis of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, making Nandy the earliest potential example of this condition. [4] Worn down teeth indicate a possible degenerative disease, and he would have walked with a limp as a result of both legs being broken or deformed. With Nandy's lower right arm missing and a distinct fracture at the humerus, there is evidence to suggest that he was the recipient of some early form of surgery and amputation. [5]

Because of the debilitating effects of these injuries, it is unlikely that Nandy would have been able to survive to such old age without external support. The fact that many of his pathologies show signs of healing over time insinuate that he was provided for, to some extent, by members of his community.

Trauma sustained to the right side of Shanidar I’s face (Trinkhaus, 2017).

‘Compassion,’ or some analogous concept, may have played an important role in Neanderthal thought processes and social interactions. [6]

Nandy and the other Shanidar specimens exhibiting antemortem trauma are far from the only members of their species to have been found in situations indicative of intentional burial.

Shanidar 1 is not survived by any family members. However, to this day, the individuals from Shanidar Cave provide anthropologists with a wealth of information about the extent of Neanderthal capacity for symbolic thought, technological complexity, and altruism.

Illustration depicting a gathering in Shanidar Cave (Miladinovic).

----- References & Further Reading -----

[1] Shanidar Cave

Wikipedia. “Shanidar Cave,” October 29, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanidar_Cave#Shanidar_1.‌

[2] Neanderthal mortuary practices in the context of Shanidar Z

Lewsy, Fred. “Shanidar Z: What Did Neanderthals Do with Their Dead?” University of Cambridge, February 18, 2020. https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/shanidarz.‌

[3] Trauma among the Shanidar Neanderthals

Trinkaus, E., and M. R. Zimmerman. “Trauma among the Shanidar Neandertals.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology 57, no. 1 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1002/AJPA.1330570108.‌

[4] Hearing loss in Shanidar I

Trinkaus, Erik, and Sébastien Villotte. “External Auditory Exostoses and Hearing Loss in the Shanidar 1 Neandertal.” Edited by Karen Rosenberg. PLOS ONE 12, no. 10 (October 20, 2017): e0186684. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186684.‌

[5] Health-related care for the Shanidar I

Kent, Laura. “Health-Related Care for the Neanderthal Shanidar 1.” ANU Undergraduate Research Journal 8 (August 1, 2017): 83–91. https://doi.org/10.22459/aurj.08.2016.07.‌

[6] Neanderthal caregiving and emotional constructs