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Homo neanderthalensis
(Continued from p. 1)
Over the years, many additional specimens of Homo neanderthalensis have come to light — the total now stands at about 400 separate individuals. Consequently, the bony anatomy of this hominid is well known. In Homo neanderthalensis, brain size was on average 11 percent larger than our own — the mean cranial capacity of an adult was 1500 cc, versus 1350 cc for modern humans (Ponce de León et al. 2008: 13767).
Many facts are known, too, about the geographic distribution, age, and culture of this early human. Neanderthals were fully bipedal, made use of sophisticated stone tools, and ranged over much of western Eurasia (SEE MAP). In addition, neanderthals could make fire and build shelters with wooden frames. They also buried their dead, apparently with ritual — graves containing flowers, the pigment red ochre, and the bones of large game animals are known (Solecki 1975).
And yet, the facts seem to indicate that Homo neanderthalensis lacked important basic tools in Homo sapiens' repertoire, in particular, needles, fish hooks, and fish nets (Jordan 2001). Of course, without needles they could not have had sewn clothing.
Nor, it seems, did neanderthals engage in long-distance trade. It is unknown whether Homo neanderthalensis produced visual art or music, as did early Homo sapiens.
The earliest fossils attributed without controversy to Homo neanderthalensis date to about 300,000 years ago, the date of appearance of Mousterian tools, an advanced style of predominantly flint tools typically associated with neanderthals.
But earlier remains showing neanderthal-like traits are known from as far back as 600,000 years ago (these are associated with relatively primitive Acheulean tools). The classification of this older material is under debate and some workers say it should be assigned to Homo heidelbergensis or "archaic" Homo sapiens, or even to Homo rhodesiensis (although this last option seems rather questionable since no one is sure whether Homo rhodesiensis, based on a single skull of uncertain age, is even a valid taxon).
The youngest fossils assigned to Homo neanderthalensis — from Hyaena Cave in the UK and Vindija in Croatia — date to about 30,000 B.P. Stone tool evidence indicates neanderthals lingered on thereafter for another 8,000 years (till ~22,000 B.P.).
An ongoing controversy has been concerned with the question of whether neanderthals should be treated as conspecific with modern humans. Some experts say yea, others, nay. The real root of this controversy, however, seems to lie in the fact that the word species lacks a generally accepted meaning. How can anyone decide whether modern humans and neanderthals belong to the same species when scientists cannot agree on a clear definition of the word species?
Habitat: Varied. Homo neanderthalensis occurred throughout much of western Eurasia during the generally frigid Pleistocene.
Pronunciation: HOME-oh nee-AND-er-thuh-LEHN-sis (or nee-AND-er-taw-LEHN-sis). The English name is pronounced nee-AND-er-thawl or nee-AND-er-tawl. English speakers usually pronounce the th in neanderthal as /th/, as in that, but many scientists pronounce it as /t/. In recent literature the spelling neandertal occurs, but is not as common as neanderthal.
Etymology: The Latin word homo means "man" or "human being." The Latin suffix -ensis was added to to Neanderthal to produce neanderthalensis, meaning "from the Neander Valley" (see notes 1 and 2 for additional information on the etymology of this name).
Interesting facts and information about other ancient hominids:
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