It shows that the Kebara 2 hyoid doesn't just look like those of modern humans - it was used in a very similar way." He told BBC News that it not only changed our understanding of Neanderthals ...

James Steele, Margaret Clegg, Sandra Martelli, Comparative Morphology of the Hominin and African Ape Hyoid Bone, a Possible Marker of the Evolution of Speech, Human Biology, Vol. 85, No. 5 (October 1, ...

The Neanderthal hyoid was not restrictively high, and even then, the researchers countered, the tongue, jaw, and lips are more important in making “i”, “a”, and “u” sounds.

It is underneath the hyoid bone, which attaches to and supports the tongue. A special tissue called the thyrohyoid membrane keeps the thyroid cartilage tethered to the hyoid bone.