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| '''Neanderthal Man''' was a species (or subspecies, see below) of ] who inhabited ] and parts of what is now Western ] during the last ice age. They seem to have been well adapted to extreme cold, but appear to have had difficulty adapting to climatic changes near the end of the ice age. They were named after the Neander Valley in ], where their fossil remains were first found. Their characteristic style of stone tools is called the Mousterian Culture, after another prominent archaeological site. | '''Neanderthal Man''' was a species (or subspecies, see below) of ] who inhabited ] and parts of what is now Western ] during the last ice age. They seem to have been well adapted to extreme cold, but appear to have had difficulty adapting to climatic changes near the end of the ice age. They were named after the Neander Valley in ], where their fossil remains were first found. Their characteristic style of stone tools is called the Mousterian Culture, after another prominent archaeological site. | ||
| Neanderthals apparently co-existed with anatomically modern man beginning some 100,000 years ago. However, about 45,000 years ago, at about the time that stoneworking techiques similar to those of ] man showed up, Neanderthals began to be displaced. Cro-Magnon are considered by most authorities to have been behaviorally modern Homo Sapiens. | Neanderthals apparently co-existed with anatomically modern man beginning some 100,000 years ago. However, about 45,000 years ago, at about the time that stoneworking techiques similar to those of ] man showed up, Neanderthals began to be displaced. Cro-Magnon are considered by most authorities to have been behaviorally modern Homo Sapiens. | ||
| ⚫ | There is considerable debate surrounding the question as to whether Cro-Magnon man accelerated the demise of Neanderthal, but the timing suggests that the developing behavior patterns of Cro-Magnon may have had considerable impact on the process. | ||
| ⚫ | There is considerable debate surrounding the question as to whether Cro-Magnon man accelerated the demise of Neanderthal, but the timing suggests that the developing behavior patterns of Cro- |
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| Popular literature has tended to exaggerate the ]-like gait and related characteristics of the Neanderthals. It has been found that some of the earliest specimens found in fact suffered from severe ]. The average Neanderthal was fully bipedal and had a brain capacity slightly higher than that of a modern human (though brain structure was organised somewhat differently). | Popular literature has tended to exaggerate the ]-like gait and related characteristics of the Neanderthals. It has been found that some of the earliest specimens found in fact suffered from severe ]. The average Neanderthal was fully bipedal and had a brain capacity slightly higher than that of a modern human (though brain structure was organised somewhat differently). | ||
| ⚫ | Both the Neanderthal's place in the human family tree and their relation to modern Europeans has been hotly debated ever since their discovery. They have been classified as a separate species (''Homo neanderthalensis'') and as a subspecies (''Homo sapiens neanderthalensis'') as the fashion in paleo-anthropological circles came and went. The current consensus, based on ] research, is that they were a separate branch of the genus ''Homo'' and that modern humans are not descended from them. | ||
| ⚫ | Both the Neanderthal's place in the human family tree and their relation to modern Europeans has been hotly debated ever since their discovery. They have been classified as a separate species (''Homo neanderthalensis'') and as a subspecies (''Homo sapiens neanderthalensis'') as the fashion in paleo-anthropological circles came and went. The current consensus, based on ] research, is that they were a separate branch of the genus ''Homo'' and that modern humans are not |
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Revision as of 20:27, 27 January 2002
Neanderthal Man was a species (or subspecies, see below) of humans who inhabited Europe and parts of what is now Western Asia during the last ice age. They seem to have been well adapted to extreme cold, but appear to have had difficulty adapting to climatic changes near the end of the ice age. They were named after the Neander Valley in Germany, where their fossil remains were first found. Their characteristic style of stone tools is called the Mousterian Culture, after another prominent archaeological site.
Neanderthals apparently co-existed with anatomically modern man beginning some 100,000 years ago. However, about 45,000 years ago, at about the time that stoneworking techiques similar to those of Cro-Magnon man showed up, Neanderthals began to be displaced. Cro-Magnon are considered by most authorities to have been behaviorally modern Homo Sapiens.
There is considerable debate surrounding the question as to whether Cro-Magnon man accelerated the demise of Neanderthal, but the timing suggests that the developing behavior patterns of Cro-Magnon may have had considerable impact on the process.
Popular literature has tended to exaggerate the ape-like gait and related characteristics of the Neanderthals. It has been found that some of the earliest specimens found in fact suffered from severe arthritis. The average Neanderthal was fully bipedal and had a brain capacity slightly higher than that of a modern human (though brain structure was organised somewhat differently).
Both the Neanderthal's place in the human family tree and their relation to modern Europeans has been hotly debated ever since their discovery. They have been classified as a separate species (Homo neanderthalensis) and as a subspecies (Homo sapiens neanderthalensis) as the fashion in paleo-anthropological circles came and went. The current consensus, based on DNA research, is that they were a separate branch of the genus Homo and that modern humans are not descended from them.