Posted on 07/21/2012 6:55:13 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
It was scraping hide, not thrusting spears, that caused dominant strength on their right sides.
Unique arm morphology in Neandertals was likely caused by scraping activities such as hide preparation, not spear thrusting as previously theorized, according to research published July 18 in the open access journal PLoS ONE*.
The researchers, led by Colin Shaw of the University of Cambridge, took muscle measurements of modern men performing three different spear thrusting tasks and four different scraping tasks. They found that muscle activity was significantly higher on the left side of the body for spear thrusting tasks relative to the right side of the body. This does not explain the observed Neandertal morphology, though, which shows dominant strength on the right side, casting doubt on the hypothesis that spear thrusting was responsible for the observed asymmetry.
When the study participants performed scraping tasks, however, the activity was much higher on their right side compared to their left, suggesting that scraping behavior may be the actual source of the arm morphology asymmetry and offering interesting insight into Neandertal behavior.
Shaw explains, "The skeletal remains of Neandertals suggests that they were doing something intense or repetitive, or both, that significantly impacted their lives. While hunting was important to Neandertals, our research suggests that much of their time was spent performing other tasks, such as preparing the skins of large animals. If we are right, it changes our picture of the daily activities of Neandertals."
(Excerpt) Read more at popular-archaeology.com ...
Neanderthal reconstruction, Wikimedia Commons.
The Neandertal EnigmaFrayer's own reading of the record reveals a number of overlooked traits that clearly and specifically link the Neandertals to the Cro-Magnons. One such trait is the shape of the opening of the nerve canal in the lower jaw, a spot where dentists often give a pain-blocking injection. In many Neandertal, the upper portion of the opening is covered by a broad bony ridge, a curious feature also carried by a significant number of Cro-Magnons. But none of the alleged 'ancestors of us all' fossils from Africa have it, and it is extremely rare in modern people outside Europe." [pp 126-127]
by James Shreeve
in local libraries
KEYWORDS: neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthals
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| GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach | |
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To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. |
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Solution is probably whether person was right handed or left handed.
So they weren’t spear chuckers after all.
Man!! This is great to know.
It will sure make a significant impact on my life.
“They found that muscle activity was significantly higher on the left side of the body for spear thrusting tasks relative to the right side of the body. This does not explain the observed Neandertal morphology, though, which shows dominant strength on the right side, casting doubt on the hypothesis that spear thrusting was responsible for the observed asymmetry.”
The assumption is that Neandertals were right handed in the majority instead of left handed, like modern man. Maybe Neandertals were left handed in the majority. Do they know, or did they make an unwarranted assumption?
Washboards cause neanderthal arms from scraping.
If they’d found that Neandertal were primarily left-handed, it wouldn’t help the “we aren’t related to them” crowd — lefthandedness would then be seen as more evidence that we are. :’)
It’s a safe assumption that N was mostly right-handed because of these characteristics (the more heavily developed right) in surviving remains. Other than modern, recently-deceased humans, Neandertal remains are the most numerous in the fossil record. IOW, there *may* have been more left-handed Neandertals, but the right-handed ones made all the weapons and left all the remains — not likely.
It’s little known, but besides the washboard, Neandertals also invented the washtub bass.
When they did chuck one, it would have gone a long way. :’)
Your comment is a waste of bandwidth.
So was the Post.
I am sure it is the first waste of bandwidth that ever happened too.
I won’t sleep tonight worrying about it.
So something that is done for hours a day tends to develop you more then something that you do for, at best, a minute a day?
Gee, who would have thought!
Heh... probably the analogue that comes to mind is that of jousting knights of the Middle Ages. Bigger right arm bones etc.
Sounds logical.
Makes sense. They had to keep warm, create bags or something to move belongings with and provide shelter. Animal skins can do that.
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