Neanderthal Research Illuminated by Watercolors in 'Naked Neanderthal'

The book "Néandertal nu" (Naked Neanderthal) by archaeologist Ludovic Slimak has been reissued with delicate, dreamlike watercolors by Frédéric Bihel. The publication delves into Slimak's three decades of research across Europe, tracing the footsteps of Neanderthals, our "great brother" who disappeared 42,000 years ago.

Slimak's work challenges the primitive, fearsome image often associated with Neanderthals. Through scientific text and Bihel's art, the book moves from the detail of a carved flint to vast landscapes, depicting mammoth hunts and life in underground caverns. It highlights the growing scientific understanding of Neanderthals as complex beings, not the brutish figures of early imagination.

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Layer after layer of sediment... We descend into time.

The book also touches upon contemporary issues, noting how climate change and melting permafrost are revealing ancient bodies. It emphasizes a sense of fraternity between modern humans and their extinct ancestors. Slimak even humorously suggests that the poodle is to the wolf what humans are to Neanderthals, a playful yet profound reflection on our shared lineage.

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Our ancestor is like a poodle to the wolf, and we are to Neanderthal.