The Neanderthals - not so different from ourselves? New evidence from Shanidar Cave, Iraqi Kurdistan.

When
24 Nov 2025
19:30 - 21:00
Location
Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
Spaces left
100

Registration

Guest tickets – £7.00
Guest tickets allow you to attend in person or by Zoom. For this event, it is also possible to pay at the door without purchasing a ticket in advance.
Student Ticket – £3.00
Student tickets allow you to attend in person or by Zoom. For this event, it is also possible to pay at the door without purchasing a ticket in advance.

Image courtesy of the speaker

Sponsored by the University of Leicester

Professor Graeme Barker CBE FBA FSA FRGS

Disney Professor of Archaeology Emeritus and Senior Fellow McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge.

Lecture outline

Shanidar Cave is an iconic site in Neanderthal archaeology from 1950s excavations by Ralph Solecki that transformed the image of Neanderthals as archetypal cavemen and cavewomen. New excavations led by Graeme Barker are demonstrating even more complexity in Neanderthal lives (see Secrets of the Neanderthals, Netflix May 2024), making their disappearance 40,000 years ago even more intriguing.

Biographical note

After his BA and PhD at Cambridge, a Lectureship at the University of Sheffield and Directorship of the British School at Rome, Graeme Barker came to Leicester where he was Head of the School of Archaeological Studies (1988-2000), founding Graduate Dean (2000-2003) and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (2003-2004). In 2004 he returned to Cambridge as Disney Professor of Archaeology, Director of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research and Professorial Fellow at St John’s College. On his retirement in 2014 he was awarded a CBE for his contributions to archaeology.

Attending the lecture

The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.