- Neanderthals and modern humans lived in Üçağızlı II Cave in Turkey at different times (Neanderthals: ~77,000–59,000 years ago; Homo sapiens: ~59,000–47,000 years ago).
- Both groups showed similar hunting-gathering strategies, using the same local flint sources and hunting the same prey (wild goats, fallow deer, roe deer, wild boar).
- Both groups collected the same type of seashells (Columbella rustica) as ornaments, with some pierced or heated to alter color.
- The findings suggest cultural continuity and possible information sharing between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, challenging previous assumptions of distinct cultures.
- Similar evidence from Tinshemet Cave in Israel contrasts with findings at Mandrin Cave in France, where no continuous culture was observed.
- Researchers hypothesize that cultural similarities may stem from contact and shared cultural aspects, though many questions remain, including the role of interbreeding.
- Future excavations at sites like Üçağızlı II may help build a more comprehensive picture of human evolution and cultural development in the Late Pleistocene.