-Caveat Lector- Queribus <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > -Caveat Lector- > > Robert Tatman > > >The Nature article said that despite their "armored car" build, the > >Neanderthals became extinct because they failed to look after each other, > >whereas their weaker cousins, the descendants of modern man, were more social > >and were forced to depend on each other for survival. > > And how do they figure that? From the copious diaries left? The high > divorce rate? One of the few ritualized grave sites found is > Neanderthal-- flowers left in the grave-- that would seem to indicate > community, or at least family social development. > > There are many options for extinction-- interbreeding with Cro-Magnon > that produced sterile offspring, disease susceptibility, or just that > Humans did what Humans do best and wiped them out. > Queri, you point up the one glaring weakness in this story--the definite use of death rituals by the Neanderthals. As usual, a "scientific" conclusion has been arrived at on the basis of incomplete data. However, consider this: even stipulating the existence of well-developed community among the Neanderthals (which is itself not fully proven), it does appear to be the case that Homo sapiens sapiens (Cro-Magnon) was less robust than Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, and therefore by definition was forced to rely on community support for survival; neanderthalensis apparently could, and--if the data are being correctly interpreted--frequently did, survive entirely independently of any community. That at least is the implication of the story. IMHO, as it happens, the Neanderthals died out through intermarriage with Cro-Magnons--matings which were by no means necessarily sterile. In other words, the gracile subspecies, H. sapiens sapiens, absorbed the robust subspecies, H. sapiens neanderthalensis, and incorporated its genetic material in the process of evolving into "Modern Man," Homo sapiens, the sole surviving representative of genus Homo. It is just possible that the tendency of some present-day Homo sapiens to become "mountain men" and the like indicates an atavistic recurrence of Neanderthal characteristics. Bob ================================= Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Remove "nospam" from the address to reply. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS. RECEIPT OF SPAM WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF THE SENDER'S ISP. ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
