Archaeologica.org

Now, they are adaptable hunters!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 084115.htm

Neandertals in warm forested areas preferred to hunt solitary game but that in colder, less forested areas they preferred to hunt the more difficult to capture herding animals.

The Neandertals were not easily intimated by their game. Rhinoceroses, bisons and even predators such as the brown bear were all on their menu. Dusseldorp established that just as for modern humans, the environment and the availability of food determined the choice of prey and the hunting method adopted. If the circumstances allowed it, Neandertals lived in large groups and even the most attractive and difficult to catch prey were within their reach.

Min, just a note ahead of time.....Tomorrow is artifact identification day at Angel Mounds site in southern Indiana. Archaeologists from university of Evansville, University of Southern Indiana, and the Indiana State Museum will be attending and identifying artifacts for the public. I am going to take a literal trailer load of artifacts all in visible display cases. The artifacts are the levallois industry that I have posted about in the past. The assemblage now consists of hundreds of unambiguous levallois points, hand axes, burins on levallois blades , the blade cores in case they doubt the technology, scrapers made on levallois blades and flakes, core choppers made from turtle back levallois cores, denticulates. Basically I am going to let them see the first unambiguous assemblage of lithics that are far more primitive than Clovis but very identifiable by the human modification evident on each tool. They will be presented with an entire industry of what I believe to be preclovis implements. I will show them pictures of Mousterian tools from abroad and matching tools from right here in the hoosier state. It will be interesting to see and hear the assessment of the tools that do not exist in the U.S. I recently tried to get Kris Hurst to comment on the possibility of lower and middle paleo cultures here and she literally ignored the issue. I asked "what if an unambiguous set of artifacts made up of Levalloisian technology complete with mousterian points and hand axes were presented, would she then consider the possibility of a lower to middle paleolithic (possibly neanderthal) presence in the U.S.? She has just chosen to ignore the question entirely. Just thought I would give ya'll a heads up before some hoosier "club" members view the collection.....rick d.

Please, Rick. By all means let us know what happens!

You have possible evidence of Neanderthals in the US?
Oh boy!

I wish I could be there.

At the least, we need a report.
A video of the proceedings would be real fun to watch.

Min, took some tools to the Angel Mounds site today,
First professor upon seeing some levallois points says "those are levallois technology and my expertise is really in late prehistoric stuff, where did these come from?"
"Right here in this county "I say.
"No way" says the club prof. " "Judging by the patina alone I can say that these have to be way older than ten thousand years, but there were no neandertals here so I don't know what to say about these. You need to maybe try a Paleo man, Tankersley in Cinncinatti may be able to help," (shaking his head).
Second professor walks in and upon approaching the artifacts says , "Those are levallois points, where from?"
"Indiana" I say.
"No way" says the learned clubber. " I would not have thought that but they definitely look Mousterian."
Third "expert" asks," what ya got there?" " let's see." " Wow, I haven't seen any of those since I was in Germany at the Neandertal Museum. Where are these from?"
"Right here in southern Indiana." I say.
"No way, there were no Neandertals in this country." as he shows the points to his fellow flint knapper. Both are Native American knappers doing demonstrations. "Well, we know that THEY say we have been here for about 12,000 years but we think it's more like 20,000 or longer. I guess Neandertal had to go somewhere, maybe we came from them, I've seen Shawnee with big ol' brow ridges."" That is Levallois technology though, amazing." he says.
Well, I couldn't seem to interest them in looking at the entire industry that was in the trailer in the parking lot. It was almost as if they were scared to see more evidence so I just left with the satisfaction of knowing that the artifacts spoke for themselves. I can't wait to show the entire assemblage, just trying to figure out the right venue.....rick d.

"No way, there were no Neandertals in this country."

And no fuckin' hand axes, either!


There are none so blind as those who will not see. It is great that they recognized the tools for what they were, though. Maybe you need to contact people who have already been put through the ringer such as Al Goodyear at Topper or James Adovasio at Meadowcroft?

They already went out on the limb and should enjoy some company.

Minimalist wrote:There are none so blind as those who will not see.

Imo it was HE, not HN.

Rokcet Scientist wrote:Imo it was HE, not HN.

I'm starting to wonder if that isn't an artificial distinction, too.

Following on with my research on Chinese Erectus Min they say they find that late Erectus and early HSS are so alike they are not sure where the ends and the other begins.

Roy.

Why am I not surprised?


The Chinese don't have any Neandertals to muck up their neat little time lines.

So much for progress.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/ ... es-journal

One of science's most puzzling mysteries - the disappearance of the Neanderthals - may have been solved. Modern humans ate them, says a leading fossil expert.

http://johnhawks.net/node/1993

Hawks has a short blog on the above article.

Makes for a good yarn, though/

I thought the Blog would be short!

Roy.