Final answer:
Scholars believe the trauma on Neanderthal skeletons largely stemmed from risky hunting practices, although violent encounters and other factors may have also contributed. Evidence of care for injured individuals points to a compassionate social structure among Neanderthals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many scholars believe that the large amount of trauma on Neanderthal skeletons is a result of their hunting activities. The skeletal remains found in places like Shanidar Cave in Iraq show significant evidence of trauma, indicating that hunting large prehistoric animals was a hazardous task for Neanderthals. Both male and female Neanderthals exhibited cranial injuries, implying participation in hunting, with men generally having a higher incidence of trauma. Moreover, studies suggest that Neanderthals displayed compassion and extended care to the injured, as evidenced by healing in individuals such as Shanidar 1, who survived multiple traumas and even an amputation.
Such high levels of trauma on the skeletons could also be indicative of violent encounters, potentially including conflict with other human groups like early modern humans. However, the debate continues as no single theory fully explains the Neanderthals' extensive injuries or their eventual disappearance from the fossil record. Climate changes and competition for resources likely played roles in addition to the toll taken by hunting and inter-group violence.