The Cave Bear

Clan of the Cave Bear depicts life of a Cro Magnon girl, Ayla, growing up with a Neanderthal Clan struggling for acceptance. Throughout the movie we see Ayla struggling to comprehend, and follow the traditions and customs of her adopted clan. In the end Ayla sets out on a journey to find her people and her destiny. However, is this movie an accurate portrayal of life, traditions, and culture of the Neanderthals? It is my opinion that the social, political, and economical developments shown in Clan of the Cave Bear is a moderately accurate portrayal of life during the Stone Age.

The social developments in this movie were moderately accurate in comparison to what we currently know of traditions and cultures of Neanderthals during this

time. The movie suggests that Neanderthals had a very complex religion which somewhat resembles the religious beliefs of modern humans. In the movie, the clan believed in a spirit guide that would lead each member down their path of life and protect them. Each spirit guide represents a different path and sort of occupation for each person. For example, Ayla’s spirit guide was that of a mountain lion which represented a hunting spirit. Religion was also present when the clan buried their dead with a ceremony which showed a respect for the dead and maybe a belief that death is just a beginning. Evidence found from Neanderthals from the time period suggests that they did have some form religion and a belief in an afterlife, making them the first humanoids to do so. Many skeletons have been uncovered and show signs of a ritualistic burial. Many were buried with meaty animal bones, flowers or even tools which suggest that Neanderthals buried their dead with things that would be helpful for them in the afterlife. The skeletons were also buried with their limbs brought into a sleeping position to symbolize rebirth. This ritualistic burial is much like that of Iza in the movie. When Iza died she was “taken away with the spirits,” which means she went to the afterlife, and was buried ceremoniously much like the Neanderthal skeletons that have been found. Though there is evidence of a belief in an afterlife there is actually very little evidence to suggest the belief in spirit guides. Though it is unclear whether or not Neanderthals had spirit guides, since they lived so long ago, there is some evidence that would support that conclusion that they believed in spirit guides. At a research site in Spain two panther paws were discovered in the rocks by the skeletons. Researchers speculate that Neanderthals would cut off the paws of panthers and keep them suggesting that panthers were some sort of spirit guides to the Neanderthals. It could also be that the paws were added afterward as some type of ritual. Though it is unknown the details of Neanderthals religious belief, I believe that the Clan of the Cave Bear provides an accurate rendition of religion during the time. Another accuracy with Clan of the Cave Bear is the fact that they had some type of advanced language. In the movie the clan used a series of grunts, words, and hand symbols to get a point across to the group. Though no one knows the details of Neanderthal language it is understood that they did have the ability to speak and had the same speech organs as human beings today. Although the voice boxes and vocal tracts cannot be fossilized the bone from which the voice box hangs does. Since Neanderthals did possess this bone it is a reasonable assumption that they had some form of advanced communication. An inaccuracy that I found in Clan of the Cave Bear was that the weak, ill, or elderly were killed. For example when Ayla comes back after being banished, it is decided that they must kill Ayla’s son because he is weak and will never be able to hunt, or be hunted for. Creb is also banished from the clan when Broud becomes leader because he does not provide for the clan or himself. This is inaccurate when compared to the evidence of history. Neanderthals were very caring towards their young and elderly so the actions in the movie would never have happened in real life. There was a Neanderthal skeleton discovered in France that proved that they treated their elderly. The skeleton was missing most of it’s teeth and had evidence of back and hip issues and wouldn’t have been able to move without assistance let alone hunt or gather. This means that the Neanderthals cared for the sick and crippled unlike in the movie. All together the social developments in Clan of the Cave Bear are moderately accurate to the time period.
Political developments were also fairly accurate to what we know of Neanderthal culture during this time period, though many of the political developments during this time are unknown to modern peoples.

The leadership system in the movie is a sort of mix between a monarchy (leadership passed down father to son), and a power based leadership (might is right). Now, in history there is not much of a way to determine whether the political structure of Neanderthals because they lived so long ago, but it is very likely that this monarchy/power based system of politics existed. Though, during the Neolithic revolution a monarchy/power based system of government was used, so it is reasonable to assume that this system made an appearance in the past.. So on the aspect of leadership Clan of the Cave Bear is an accurate portrayal of the time period. An inaccuracy in Clan of the Cave Bear was the role of women in the clan. Women were pictured as childbearers much like history says they were, but the men did the providing, and the sexual inequality, and role of women were not correct to the time period. In the movie, women of the clan were expected to kneel when addressing men, and the leader. Women were also not allowed to hunt, and were sentenced to death if they so much as touched a hunting weapon. In the book/show Guns, Germs, and Steel, by Jared Diamond, he described the start of sexual inequality around 13,000 BCE or around the last ice age. Since this story takes place before the start of inequality ((25,000 BCE) women should have probably been treated more human than they were during the movie. Women, and men during the time of early humans, according to researchers had similar (though not entirely equal) status, so this is a large inaccuracy of Clan of the Cave Bear. So overall the political developments were fairly accurate to the time with the exception of

inequality.
The economical developments of Clan of the Cave Bear were very accurate to what we know of Neanderthals. The movie was very accurate in the way that Neanderthals lived. Much like in history the clan moved around from cave to cave following the food. Men were the hunters, and women were the gatherers and women cared for the sick and injured. Much like it would have been hunting was a very dangerous task and some men didn’t survive hunting trips. An inaccuracy in the Clan of the Cave Bear was how long the Neanderthals lived. Since life as a Neanderthal was a very dangerous lifestyle, many Neanderthals didn’t survive their thirties. So it is pretty unrealistic that Iza would have lived as long as she had, considering her age at the beginning (25-30). Creb and many of the other elders of the clan outlived what they should have by about twenty years. The economical developments of Clan of the Cave Bear were a decently accurate portrayal of that of Neanderthals in the past.
The social, political, and economical developments describe the Neanderthal time period fairly accurately. Clan of the Cave Bear is a moderately accurate portrayal of life for people living during the Stone Age.