By now, scores of Neanderthal sites have been excavated, from western Spain to central Russia and from Israel to Wales.

The Web site provides a history of Neanderthals and, like most other Neanderthal sites, discusses a broad sweep of anthropology.

"You are standing on a Neanderthal site!"

Neanderthal sites are denser to the south, where open forest prevailed and the limestone terrain offered more caves as dwellings.

Although many Neanderthal sites have rare pieces of high-quality stone from more than 100 kilometers away, there is not enough to indicate trade or even regular contact with other communities.

But Neanderthal sites include no bone needles, no small animal remains and no grinding stones for preparing plant foods.

A Neanderthal archaeological site exists near Brichmulla.

What we find at Neanderthal sites are simple flint tools, scarcely ever changing with time.

Because of the damaging effects the glacial period had on the Neanderthal sites, not much is known about the early species.

However, a recent re-examination of Neanderthal bones from two Spanish Neanderthal sites has suggested they were around 45,000 years old, 10,000 years older than previously thought.