Neanderthal 'flower burial' debunked as bees left pollen behind

A new study challenges the long-held belief that Neanderthals practiced flower burials, suggesting instead that burrowing bees may have deposited pollen underneath a Neanderthal's remains, creating the illusion of a flower-adorned burial. The study reexamined the pollen evidence from the Shanidar 4 burial site in Iraqi Kurdistan and found that the presence of mixed clumps of pollen is more likely due to bees collecting and depositing pollen in their burrows. While the flower burial interpretation is debunked, the significance of the Shanidar burials in understanding Neanderthal burial rituals remains, and further research is needed to uncover more about their practices.