Map of Greece (left) showing the approximate position of Kalamakia cave (right, shown with excavated sediments) and other sites with human remains in the Mani peninsula. [CREDIT: Katerina Harvati et al.]
Posted on 04/07/2013 5:31:56 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
The archaeological deposits of the cave date back to between about 39,000 and 100,000 years ago to the Middle Paleolithic period. During the height of the ice age, the area still possessed a mild climate and supported a wide range of wildlife, including deer, wild boar, rabbits, elephants, weasels, foxes, wolves, leopards, bears, falcons, toads, vipers and tortoises.
In the cave, the researchers found tools such as scrapers made of flint, quartz and seashells. The stone tools were all shaped, or knapped, in a way typical of Neanderthal artifacts.
Now, the scientists reveal they discovered 14 specimens of child and adult human remains in the cave, including teeth, a small fragment of skull, a vertebra, and leg and foot bones with bite and gnaw marks on them. The teeth strongly appear to be Neanderthal, and judging by marks on the teeth, the ancient people apparently had a diet of meat and diverse plants...
In the future, Harvati and her colleagues will conduct new fieldwork in other areas in Greece to address mysteries such as potential coexistence and interactions between Neanderthals and modern humans, the spread of modern and extinct humans into Europe and possible seafaring capabilities of ancient humans.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Map of Greece (left) showing the approximate position of Kalamakia cave (right, shown with excavated sediments) and other sites with human remains in the Mani peninsula. [CREDIT: Katerina Harvati et al.]
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| GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach | |
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Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. |
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In before Helen Thomas pic.
Is it Plato’s Cave? I hate to think that so much Western Philosophy is based on weasels running around in this cave. I could accept badgers or marmots, but not weasels.
Wrong cave! The “weasels” are running around in the dark confines of The Capitol in Wash, DC.,
Long dead, not American, I bet they voted for Obama.
In before varmintman...
Neanderthal remains with gnaw and bite marks?
Were they made by other Neanderthals?
Were Neanderthals cannibals?
If they were hungry enough.
Just like us...
(s) Alferd Packer
Yes. They find Neanderthal bones with cleaar butchering cut marks on them. Biting and gnawing could be from animals, but animals don't carve things...
The teeth marks could be those of the “moderns” — known to be cannibals — or could be animals, or could be a Neandertal group who lived in that cave who had just killed someone from another cave.
:’)
Interesting stuff.
The best vacation I can think of to Europe would include a visit to the most prominent neolithic and paleolithic sites.
Hominids will turn cannibalistic if situations become dire enough. I’m sure lots of folks have heard of the Donner Party and that 1972 plane crash in the Andes and what happened there. I don’t know however how many people are aware of what Russians did during WW2 to survive when Leningrad was cutoff during the winter of 1941/42.
Consider Malta, the prehistoric Maltese temples would definitely be on my list.
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![Map of Greece (left) showing the approximate position of Kalamakia cave (right, shown with excavated sediments) and other sites with human remains in the Mani peninsula. [CREDIT: Katerina Harvati et al.]](http://i.livescience.com/images/i/000/038/529/original/neanderthal-remains-greek-cave.jpg)
