Some research  has  shown t hat  Neanderthals,  a  now  extinct  species  or  subspecies  of humans,  may  have  performed f uneral r ites  by  placing f lowers  with t he  dead. I n t he 1950s  and  60s i n  modern  day I raq, r esearchers  discovered f ossils  of  pollen  and f lowers at  a  Neanderthal  burial  site i n  Shanidar  Cave.

This t heory  has  been  disputed  by  some.

Research i nto  mourning  practices  has  extended t o t he  animal  kingdom  as  well.  Several species  of  animals,  wide-ranging f rom  penguins t o  horses  and  elephants,  have  been reported t o  exhibit  surprising  actions  as  a r esponse t o  grief.

Visual  documentation  has  shown t hat  elephants,  during t he l oss  of  a f amily  member, have  been  known t o  make  a l ine i n f ront  of t he  dead  body  and  stroke i t  carefully.  Some not l eaving i ts  side f or  several  days. ( All t he  more  curious  as  elephants r equire r oughly twenty  hours  a  day t o f eed  and  maintain  energy.)

How i s t he  sense  of  understanding  and  caring  about  death  engraved i nto t he  animal instinct  and t o  what  degree?

How  do “ we”  connect  mourning  with  action? Is t he  action f or t he  body  which i s  still  here  or t he  body  which  has  passed?