55 pages • 1-hour read
The Clan of the Cave Bear
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Historical Context: Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons
The prehistoric world that Auel dramatizes in The Clan of the Cave Bear, with its “Others” (Cro-Magnons) and “Clan” (Neanderthals), was based on speculation when it was published. Since then, the examination of ancient DNA and improved archaeological techniques have changed our picture of both peoples.
Neanderthals evolved in Europe and western Asia, and they persisted until roughly 40,000 years ago, although the precise timing varied by region. Modern humans originated in Africa, and their migration to Europe occurred in several waves. While classic estimates place the first Homo sapiens there around 45,000 years ago, recent discoveries suggest pockets of an earlier presence in parts of western Europe. By 45-40,000 years ago, modern humans were established over much of the continent.
Neanderthals and incoming modern humans overlapped across Europe for around 2,600-5,400 years, long enough for repeated contact and cultural exchange. As depicted in the novel through Durc and Ura, interbreeding between modern humans and Neanderthals has been scientifically proven to have occurred. Sequenced Neanderthal genomes, combined with modern human genomes worldwide, show that interbreeding happened multiple times after Homo sapiens left Africa. As a result, most people outside Africa carry a small amount of Neanderthal DNA.
While the novel’s depiction of modern humans and Neanderthals being able to produce children has since been supported by evidence, other depictions in the book have been largely debunked, particularly those concerning Neanderthals. In Auel’s depiction, they rely on a sign language to communicate and have limited vocal capacity. The fossil and genetic evidence today is more generous to their vocal abilities, though not definitive about their language complexity. A well-preserved hyoid bone, which is critical to human speech, was found as part of Neanderthal remains in Kebara Cave in Israel. Meanwhile, Neanderthal DNA shows they have the FOXP2 variant gene, long associated with speech and language in humans. Neither proves human-like speech, but both show that they may have had the capacity and shift the reality away from the old “mute Neanderthal” stereotype that the novel also uses.
Series Context: Earth’s Children Series
Jean M. Auel’s Earth’s Children series is a work of historical, or, more accurately, prehistorical fiction. It follows Ayla, a Cro-Magnon woman, across Paleolithic Europe. Beginning with The Clan of the Cave Bear and continuing through five sequels, the books combine elements of survival adventure, ethnographic world-building, and romantic drama into her coming-of-age story.
On a thematic level, Auel spends the series exploring cultural differences in language, superstition, and tradition versus innovation, and the ways communities enforce or break social roles. The friction between Neanderthal and modern human groups, filtered through the lenses of Ayla’s relationships among them, functions as both a fictional reimagining of prehistory and a parable about modern xenophobia, empathy, and what counts as “personhood.” Auel also threads elements of Earth-Mother spirituality through the later books.
Scientifically, the series is mixed. Auel did extensive research and anticipated some findings, such as interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans, years before they were accepted in the mainstream. Other elements are now more dated, such as the biological constraints of her Neanderthals in their speech and creativity. Likewise, Ayla’s pioneering “domestications” of animals in the subsequent novels compress the actual timeline beyond what archaeology supports for the Upper Paleolithic, as horse domestication especially comes much later in human history.
Unlock all 55 pages of this Study Guide
Get in-depth, chapter-by-chapter summaries and analysis from our literary experts.
- Grasp challenging concepts with clear, comprehensive explanations
- Revisit key plot points and ideas without rereading the book
- Share impressive insights in classes and book clubs