Redheaded Neanderlady
This is a photoshopped version of something I found in National Geographic about the time I started researching
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Neandertals were efficient tool makers
According to this article courtesy of the BBC, some researchers have discovered that Neandertal "flaked" tools were just as effective and efficient --- sometimes more so --- than ththe later "blades" widely used by "modern" humans. OTOH, there are instances of Neandertals using "bladed" tools, though they manufactured them somewhat differently than "moderns" did. These tools have been found in "Chatelperronian" sites --- these were among the last known Neandertals. Some workers think they merely copied these tools from "moderns" without knowing what they were for or how to use them, others(and I tend to at least partially favor this explanation)thinnk they developed these kinds of more sophisticated tools more or less independent of "modern" influence. I also tend to think that if it is true that Neandertals stuck to "flaked" tools, it was because they found the "blades" didn't work for them as well, not because they "couldn't" make them, or couldn't figure out how to use them. And the more evidence that comes in from sources such as those experimental archaeologists, the more it seems that there wasn't really all that much difference between Neandertals and "moderns"(if any), other than Neandertals, unfortunately for them, suffered from having smaller and more scattered populations, which made them more vulnerable to being absorbed or becoming extinct.Anne G
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8 comments:
Just wanted to let you know that the mods from the old Historical Fiction.org bulletin board have started a new one called Historical Fiction Online:
http://www.historicalfictiononline.com/forums/index.php
"Some workers think they merely copied these tools from 'moderns' without knowing what they were for or how to use them". But even if that's true there must have been intimate contact between the two 'species'. I suspect Neandertyhals did adopt them from modern humans and knew exactly what they were for and how to use them, they were not necessarily independently developed.
Susan:
I've already joined up. I will probably drop in from time to time, with pretty much the same stats as on the old one. I just have to wait to get my personal avatar because i just got a new laptop, and I have to have some help to get my writing files and my painfully-acquired pictures(from which my avatars are derived), onto my new computer. That should happen next week. Then I will probably drop in from time to time. Too bad the old site wen kablooey!
Anne G
terryt:
Maybe they were independently developed, maybe not. There seems to be evidence of some kind of blades, but not often used, fairly early, at some sites. Then there were the "Chatelperronian" blades, which may or may not have been copied from "modern" humans, but manufactured slightly differently. There is a recent paper on "early" blade manufacture, which I will look up for you if you ask(nicely, vbg!). The only trouble is, it's a PDF on my old computer, and I can't transfer the files until the Family Computer Guru helps me with that. And that won't be till next week.
Anne G
I was actually thinking of the "Chatelperronian" in my reply.
"There seems to be evidence of some kind of blades, but not often used, fairly early, at some sites". Possible that modern humans learned the technique off Neanderthals?
Regarding "recent paper on 'early' blade manufacture, is 'pleae' enough? No hurry.
terryt:bI have no idea who, if anybody, imitated whom. Francisco d'Errico and Joao Zilhao seem to think Neandertals figured out these "Chatelperronian" advances all by their own little selves. Others disagree. But they did have blades and they had beads. I've seen pictures of them. Anyway, I will try to remember to send a pdf of the paper to you, once I get my files copied. This paper deals with Peche de l'Aze, which is much earlier than the Chatelperronian,and the authors think there is evidence there of "blade" manufacture among Neandertals, for whatever purpose.
Anne G
Come to think of it I may have already read that paper but please send it anyway, if you remember.
terryt:
If you've read it, that's fine. I'm not sure, but I think it was a fairly recent paper. And pretty long. But as soon as I get files transferred, I'll send it to you.
Anne G
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