Neanderthal 1
Type specimen, Neanderthal 1 | |
| Common name | Feldhofer 1 |
|---|---|
| Species | Neanderthal |
| Age | 40,000 years |
| Place discovered | Erkrath, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
| Date discovered | August 1856 |
Feldhofer 1 or Neanderthal 1 is the scientific name of the 40,000-year-old type specimen fossil of the species Homo neanderthalensis. The fossil was discovered in August 1856 in the Kleine Feldhofer Grotte cave in the Neander Valley (Neandertal), located 13 km (8.1 mi) east of Düsseldorf, Germany.
In 1864, the fossil's description was first published in a scientific journal, where it was officially named. Neanderthal 1 was not the first Neanderthal fossil ever discovered. Other Neanderthal fossils had been found earlier but were not recognized as belonging to a distinct species.