Wolfsjager

Wolfsjager proto-culture was the first Neanderthal proto-culture we know of. It began somewhere between 100,000-90,000 BCE in central Europe, most likely made up of Neanderthals migrating from Holstein as the last glacial periode began.

The Wolfsjager were quick to adapt to the changing world following the Toba Eruption, and would soon after cover most of West and Central Europe. A series of droughts between 60,000-50,000 BCE would however put a stop to this, and they had to retreat away from the West. This in turn gave births to many other Neanderthal proto-cultures such as the Oktian and Nyekendte. It eventually collapsed around 20,000 BCE due to the Last Glacial Maximum.

Culture
The foundation of the culture began when the migrating Holstein Neanderthals brought with them their technology, methods and tools such as serrated spearheads, thick more complex clothing, the addition of grain in their diet, and most importantly, their domisticated canis lupus.

Though fishing was their main method of gaining food, many tribes would gather for a ceremonial hunt every year. Due to their worship of the cricket, the Wolfsjager would attempt to replicate its chirps using horns and drums.

Wolves were their most first and important animal companion, but the Wolfsjager would also domisticate both the ibex and the bison. Besides the food they would get from these animals, the ibex and bison also were a source of clothes and accessories such as bison-hide helmets with ibex horns.

Religion
When they began migrating across Central Europe, shamans began to appear in the communities, mainly worshipping the Bear and Cricket. Later they would also worship the Wolf for success in hunts. The ancestor worship of the Bothnian Neanderthals spread into Wolfsjager culture, the Bears, Wolves, and Crickets were believed to be the Neanderthal ancestors in spirit form. These believes became the foundation of the Syrsa religion.

Later, 90,000-80,000 BCE, when migrating Bothnae tribes were assimilated by the Wolfsjager, aspects of their Sol religion were adopted by the Wolfsjagers, such as the Sun being regarded as a holy symbol, and the use of fire as a weapon against the mythic Ice Demons.

Social Structure
The Wolfsjager had a primitive social hierarchy. Their hunters would wear bone necklaces, with each bone signifying a kill. Along with the shamans, the hunters with the most bones would be the most respected members of the tribe, often being appointed leaders. This hierachy may have why they had a great sense of social organisation. This attributed to their large and succesful expansion across Western Europe, turning the tide of the Sapien expansion.

Language
Like many Neanderthals, the communicative skills of Wolfsjager were somewhat limited for a long time (compared to species such Homo Sapiens). But when the assimilation of the Bothnae began, the Wolfsjagers adopted some aspects of their language, particulary their use of clicking sounds to create more complex words and sentences. The Wolfsjager would later pass this on to many other Neanderthal tribes, making their own and other Neanderthal languages just as complex as the Sapien's languages.