Extinct Hominins Buried Their Dead, Carved Symbols 100,000 Years Before Homo Sapiens

The skeleton of Homo naledi, a newly discovered human ancestor, is displayed during the unveiling of the discovery in Maropeng, South Africa, on Sept. 10, 2015. Stefan Heunis/AFP/Getty Images

A team of researchers have found new evidence suggesting that an extinct hominin species buried their dead and made symbols as part of meaning-making behaviors, actions which were until now thought to be exclusive to larger-brained hominins like Homo sapiens.

The hominin is a member of the zoological tribe hominini. Only a single species of hominins survive today—Home sapiens or human beings.