Cave-Myth Busters: Was There Really a ‘Gay Caveman’ After All?

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The alleged “gay caveman” that archaeologists recently discovered may not be quite what it seems, say other researchers. (via LiveScience)

When archaeologists uncovered the remains near Prague, the man was buried in a position used to bury females, which led the researchers to say they had discovered an ancient homosexual man. But some reports now indicate that the evidence is not conclusive and that nuances of the discovery extend beyond sexual preferences.

(More on TIME.com: See pictures of archaeology in Jerusalem)

LiveScience reports that Kamila Remisova Vesinova, the archaeologist who headed the discovery, told reporters the man may have belonged to a “third gender,” meaning that he could have been transsexual and switched between genders. Many archaeologists speculate that the case has been oversimplified in the craze surrounding the potential discovery of a “gay caveman.” The third gender concept is a complex one, and researchers say the case should be studied carefully before conclusions are formed. In fact, there’s not even conclusive evidence that the remains in question belonged to a transsexual because traditionally third genders had their own unique burial customs.

Moreover, the remains did not really belong to a “caveman.” John Hawks, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, told LiveScience the use of the word “caveman” does not accurately date the remains and that they actually belong to the “pre-Bronze Age.” Just goes to show that if NewsFeed really wanted to see a gay caveman, we could just misinterpret Fred and Barney’s bromance on The Flintstones.

(More on TIME.com: Should you eat like a caveman?)