how tall were neanderthals
Neanderthals were roughly medium height by modern standards: adult males averaged about 165 centimeters (around 5 ft 5 in) and adult females about 153–155 centimeters (around 5 ft 0–5 ft 1 in).
Average height in a nutshell
- Typical male Neanderthal : about 164–168 cm (5 ft 5–5 ft 6 in).
- Typical female Neanderthal : about 152–156 cm (5 ft 0–5 ft 1 in).
- Overall adult range from fossils: roughly 147–177 cm (4 ft 10–5 ft 10 in), so some were quite short and some as tall as many modern people.
How they compare to us
Neanderthals were not “tiny cavemen” but were on the short side compared with many modern populations, especially modern Europeans and North Americans. Their bodies were stocky , with relatively short limbs and lots of muscle, which made them look very robust even at moderate heights.
Here is a simple comparison with modern humans:
| Group | Men (average height) | Women (average height) | Body build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neanderthals | ≈164–168 cm (5′5″–5′6″) | ≈152–156 cm (5′0″–5′1″) | Short, very robust, stocky limbs. | [3][5][1]
| Modern humans (global today) | ≈175 cm (5′9″) typical average in many countries | ≈162–165 cm (5′4″–5′5″) in many countries | [9][3]More linear, generally less heavy-boned. | [3][9]
Fun detail: very tall Neanderthals?
Most Neanderthals were in the 150–165 cm band, but there are clues that some individuals could reach around 175 cm (about 5 ft 9 in), close to an average modern man. Footprint evidence from a site in France suggests at least one unusually tall Neanderthal, hinting that height, like today, varied from person to person.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
