Posted on 09/18/2012 12:26:03 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Clive Finlayson and Kimberly Brown from the Gibraltar Museum, along with colleagues from Spain, Canada and Belgium, examined a database of 1,699 ancient sites across Eurasia, comparing data on birds at locations used by humans with those that were not.
They found a clear association between raptor and corvid remains and sites that had been occupied by humans.
They then looked more closely at bird bones found at Neanderthal sites in Gibraltar, including Gorham's and Vanguard cave, near the base of the rock: "The Neanderthals had cut through and marked the bones. But what were they cutting? We realised a lot of it was wing bones, particularly those holding large primary feathers," Prof Finlayson told BBC News.
Co-author Jordi Rosell, from Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona, Spain, said: "We saw the cut-marks on bird bones at one cave, and then started seeing them in others. I think it's a common aspect to the caves in this rock."
Juan Jose Negro, director of the Donana Biological Station in Seville, Spain, who is another co-author, said: ...
"The only explanation left is the use of those long feathers."
Not only this, but the ancient humans appeared to have a preference for birds with dark or black plumage. Species represented at the sites include ravens, crows, rooks, magpies, jackdaws, various types of eagle and vulture, red and black kites, kestrels and falcons.
...
Dr Negro cautioned that there was no way to tell how the feathers were put to use. But he observed: "Current uses of feathers typically involve the same species. If you think of the Plains Indians in North America, they put those feathers in headdresses and they are signalling. They are signalling power and status. Perhaps the Neanderthals were using feathers in the same way."
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
ping
To hear them tell it, so should Ward Churchill and Elizabeth Warren......
Bottom line: Can't see why this is such a reckoning.
Maybe Neanderthal HAD feathers.
Ah, yes......I remember Felicia The Feather Dancer. Lovely girl. Kept waiting for those birds she held in front of her to molt. I saw her after the show. She asked me if I had any ideas to improve her show. I said, “Yes...use two hummingbird feathers.”
Whole cardinal or bluebird carcasses were hung from a belt around the waist. Elizabeth Warren might want to consider this colorful fashion accessory to dress up her drab squaw look.
Question, would my grandson be given Affirmative Action entrée into Harvard for claiming Neandertal ancestry on both sides? As indisputable proof, he has red hair and loves playing with feathers.
Fortunately, the Neandertals (note hip new German spelling) had a cave guest who left behind voluminous writings in the various "Clan of the Cave Bear" chronicles, so I will look this up for you.
I’m suddenly feeling better about my whooping crane codpiece.
Is he light Neanderthal or dark Neanderthal?
He has dark moods and terrible table manners.
I read the first one. I loved her theory that the Ns died out because their heads got too big.
But I actually enjoyed the book (but not enough to read any of the others)
brilliant!
We must be related! The family reunion next year is at Toadsuck, Arkansas. Uncle Zeke is giving a prize to whoever shows up with the most different colored parts on their car. I figure my Gremlin is a sure winner. We’ve invited Paul Krugman to come and speak. He’s real smart don’t you know. He won a Heisman Trophy or something for knowing that eight bits makes a dollar. We’re gonna put him in a barrel with a love sick polecat. He’ll either come out stinky or smiling. I’m betting he’ll be smiling. Cousin Tater says hi.
And sex toys too!
My little bro (age 56) still shakes when he sees a feather.
Wonder if it has anything to do with us beating him with a feather pillow when he was a young brat.
Does he eat with his hands...like a caveman??
Not only that, Sac, he has been known to bite the hand that feeds him. There must be a Democrat gene in the woodpile.
Had I more grandchildren, I wouldn't feed the little savage at all!
We lived for years over to East Bigod and feel I would have made the acquaintance long before this. Unless y'all ain't that family that moved in from Dogfart 'bout a year ago ... in which case my sister says she'd shared a room with your sister at The Pen State.
Hold the phone ... y'all don't mean THAT Uncle Zeke? Why that there is some feller! BTW, tell Cousin Tater we found his eye patch. It was in the potato salad at the church picnic right after Pastor got bit by the copperhead. Gramma picked up ontit right away when it was all kinda chewy and all. So was the copperhead.
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