The Mysterious End Of Essex Man (UK)

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 1-23-2005 | Robin McKie

[blam]

GGG Ping.

Cheddar Man must have been one of the axe carrying people.

[mlc9852]

"Cultural variation in a creature that relied on brute strength and little intelligence for survival is considered improbable by scientists, a point stressed by Michael Pitts, editor of British Archaeology. 'That hominids this ancient should express "cultural" variation would add a new perspective to the behaviour of creatures that many of us still think of as being nearer apes than humans,' he states in the current issue of the journal."

What do you more-intelligent Freepers make of this? Does it sound like he's already made up his mind on the subject?

[Loyalist]

Never bring a knife to an axe fight.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Fortunately, all the hand axes and long knives have now been rounded up the the authorities, lest someone hurt himself.

[starfish923]

400,000 years ago?
They weren't cro-magnan then. They were simply hominids (not homo sapiens) who eventually disappeared from the gene pool.
All we are is cro-magnan, from 75,000-100,000 years ago.
Cro-magnan and Neaderthals (also just hominids, NOT homo sapiens) DID co-exist on Europe for a while. I do honestly believe that some remnants of Neaderthals still exist in our gene pool, thanks to mixing of the species. That is clearly evident in some the Democrat left wingers. Brain not all there.

[muir_redwoods]

"What do you more-intelligent Freepers make of this? Does it sound like he's already made up his mind on the subject?"

I don't know if I qualify as one of the more intelligent freepers but in my opinion, this guy just sounds cautious in the face of new information and evidence. About the right position for a scientist, I think.

[alloysteel]

Never bring a knife to an axe fight.

Now that is just callous and cold. How could they have known? Just because they did something dumb, they got to die?

(The correct answer is: Yes.)

[The Electrician]

Maybe it was knife control that did them in...

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Does it sound like he's already made up his mind on the subject?

Sounds like he's speculating and hoping the speculation is right, because he'd make a name for himself, if he is. But I don't think he's committed to it.

[Ichneumon]

Cro-magnan and Neaderthals (also just hominids, NOT homo sapiens) DID co-exist on Europe for a while. I do honestly believe that some remnants of Neaderthals still exist in our gene pool, thanks to mixing of the species. That is clearly evident in some the Democrat left wingers. Brain not all there.

Case in point:

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam. Mary Settegast cited a similar widespread (perhaps widely scattered) war in the Mediterranean basin in her Plato Prehistorian.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[Junior]

Ping (they'll be along any minute now).

[mlc9852]

There are some scientists who don't think Neanderthals really existed.

[PatrickHenry]

You really think this warrants deploying the ping list? If you say so, I'll do it.

[norwaypinesavage]

Obviously, the Clactonians should have passed more axer control laws.

[Junior]

You could just do the science ping list. This is a fairly interesting article.

[e p1uribus unum]

"..There are some scientists who don't think Neanderthals really existed...."


The bones weren't there? They were there but not H. neandertalensis?

Can you cite a ref?

[Oztrich Boy]

Unconscious Irony Department

They have found that two different groups - one wielding hand-axes, the other using Stone Age Stanley knives to slash and kill - could have been rivals for control of ancient Britain.

... Chris Stringer, of the Natural History Museum, London. 'Certainly it suggests Britain may well have been multicultural 400,000 years ago.'