4715) Discovery of Gibraltar 2 - a fossilised skull of a Neanderthal Child, Gibraltar, A British Overseas Territiory (BOT): "100th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Gibraltar - 2 Neanderthyat Skull: Date/Year of Stamp set issue: 30.09.2026:
Links to posts on Neanderthal fossilised Skulls found in Gibraltar:
Human Evolution - The Neanderthals:
One of the highlight specimens in the Human Evolution Gallery is the fossil skull known as "Gibraltar 1" found at "Forbes Quarry". It was the first adult Neanderthal skull ever discovered.
The skull was found in 1848 in a quarry in Gibraltar. Its significance wasn't recognised at first.
But eight years later amateur naturalist Johann Fuhlrott identified a similar skull and additional remains in the Neander Valley in Germany.
In 1864, it was named as a new species of "human, Homo neanderthalensis".
The sensation this caused meant the first skull was revisited, and it too was found to be a Neanderthal fossil.
Who were the Neanderthals?
Neanderthals are one of our closest ancient human relatives. In fact, genetic data suggest we share a common ancestor. Neanderthals began to evolve in Europe and Asia while our own species was evolving in Africa.
Thanks to hundreds of fossils unearthed in the past 160 years, and recent DNA evidence, scientists have been able to build up a detailed picture of what Neanderthals looked like.
Their short and stocky physique was suited to the cold environments they evolved in. Distinctive hefty brow ridges and a large nose dominated their face.
We know from fossils that Neanderthals' brains were as big as ours but shaped differently.
Undoubtedly intelligent and able to communicate, they were innovative toolmakers and skilful hunters.
One of the last Neanderthals?
Physical evidence of Neanderthals ends around 40,000 years ago.
Two main factors may have contributed to their extinction: an unstable climate and competition from another human species (us).
Fossils and archaeological evidence indicate that Gibraltar may have been one of the Neanderthals' last refuges.
The area has had a mild and stable climate for the last 125,000 years, unlike northern Europe, where extreme cold stages made the land uninhabitable at times.
The Gibraltar 1 fossil is thought to be about 50,000 years old, but the dating isn’t very precise at the moment. Museum scientists are working with dating and DNA labs to accurately calculate the age and recover part of this Neanderthal's genome.
If successful, the specimen will be the most southerly Neanderthal for which we have DNA. It may help to answer questions as to whether Mediterranean Neanderthals were genetically different to Neanderthals from the north.
The skull that Charles Darwin studied and called 'wonderful' back in the nineteenth century still has secrets to reveal.
The Neanderthal 2 Skull:
Discovered in 1926 at Devil’s Tower Cave, Gibraltar 2 is the fossilised skull of a Neanderthal child whose remains have become central to understanding the prehistoric communities that once lived on the Rock.
The find followed the earlier discovery of Gibraltar 1 at Forbes’ Quarry in 1848, and together these two specimens established Gibraltar as one of the most important locations for Neanderthal research in Europe.
Gibraltar 2 offered rare evidence of juvenile development, helping scientists build a clearer picture of Neanderthal growth, behaviour and family structure.
The 100th Anniversary of Gibraltar 2 marks a century of study into the lives of these ancient inhabitants and the environment they occupied.
Excavations in Gibraltar have revealed stone tools, animal bones and traces of hearths, all of which contribute to our understanding of how Neanderthals hunted, prepared food and adapted to the shifting climate of the late Pleistocene.
The surrounding landscape, with its cliffs, caves and coastal plains, would have provided shelter, resources and vantage points for the communities who lived there.
The Commemorative Stamps:
- The commemorative stamps present scenes inspired by this archaeological record, including hunting, tool making, gathering and domestic life, set within reconstructions of Gibraltar’s prehistoric terrain.
- Designer Mauricio Antón has created detailed illustrations that reflect current scientific knowledge, portraying Neanderthals not only as skilled survivors but as social beings with complex behaviours and close family bonds.
- This collection celebrates Gibraltar’s enduring contribution to the study of human evolution and highlights the continuing work of researchers who investigate the caves, fossils and artefacts that connect the Rock to the wider story of our ancient past.
Technical details:
Issue Date: 30.09.2026
Designer: Stephen Perera
Illustrator: Mauricio Antón
Printer: Bpost
Process: Offset Lithography
Colours: 4 Colours (CMYK)
Sizes:
Stamp size: 40,00 mm x 30.00 mm,
MS size: 143.00 mm x 83.00 mm
Values: 60p, 90p, £1, £1.15,
£4
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Links to posts on the Crown Coin on this blog:
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i) Britain's Heraldic Lion, United Kingdom (UK): The Timeless
National Symbol features on Gold and Silver Bullion Coins: Date/Year of Coins issue: 2025
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A 1983 UK Coin Set:
1) Northern Ireland Polymer Bank Issues: Danske Bank (10 Pounds Polymer Banknotes), Bank of Ireland (5 & 10 Pound Polymer Banknotes) to go into circulation in 2020/21
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320 Years of Gibraltar:
MV Empire Windrush - 75 Years:
Music Legends Coin/Stamp Series:
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