The National Museum of Nature and Science will be holding the "Neanderthals and Modern Humans Shared Values" exhibition from Tuesday, July 14th to Sunday, September 6th, 2026.
A joint research group consisting of three researchers from domestic institutions, including Chief Researcher Wataru Morita of the Department of Life History at the National Museum of Nature and Science, and eight researchers from overseas institutions, discovered fossils of both Neanderthals and modern humans during an excavation in the Republic of Turkey. In early July 2026, they published a research paper and issued a press release *Note 1 in collaboration with Kyoto University.
This study reveals that Neanderthals and modern humans maintained a stable, shared culture for over 20,000 years. They used the same methods to produce stone tools and shared the same food acquisition strategies. Furthermore, both groups collected shells of specific species unsuitable for consumption, indicating that their cultural commonalities extended not only to practical aspects but also to the collection of impractical natural materials.
This cultural commonality stems from interaction between the two groups, and it is believed that the foundation of this interaction was a shared set of values that transcended species, as exemplified by the collection of seashells that are "useless but beautiful."
This NEWS exhibition will provide an easy-to-understand explanation of the research through panels, and will feature exhibits such as a replica of a Neanderthal child's lower jawbone (on public display for the first time) and beads made from seashells (of the same species as the excavated shells). In addition, we will present images and photographs of the excavation site.
The Levant region where Ucházli II Cave is located
Scenes from the excavation site
Event Overview
[Sponsor] National Museum of Nature and Science
[Event Period] July 14th (Tue) – September 6th (Sun), 2026
[Venue] National Museum of Nature and Science (7-20 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo)
Earth Pavilion, 2nd basement floor, Human Evolution Corner corridor
[Reference information]
<Press release> *Note 1
Neanderthals and modern humans shared values—evidence found that both collected "beautiful" shells.
Link: https://www.kahaku.go.jp/news/albums/abm.php?d=5389&f=abm00022251.pdf&n=20260707_press.pdf
<Paper title and authors>
Long-term cultural continuity across the Neanderthal-modern human sequence at Üçağızlı II Cave, northern Levant
(Long-term cultural continuity spanning Neanderthals and modern humans in Uchharzli II Cave, northern Levant)
Link: Long-term cultural continuity across the Neanderthal–modern human sequence at Üçağızlı II Cave, northern Levant | PNAS
[Agency for Cultural Affairs] Press Release
