Neanderthal family from forensic reconstructions |
I have also observed human nature both up close and at a distance, and will assert that under a variety of circumstances, human males will mate with just about anything with an orifice. To put it bluntly, if a hunter will screw a dead deer do you actually think he wouldn’t screw a hairy woman?(Look at the second image of reconstructed Neanderthal female. She remind you of someone you know?) Human conflict is rife with tales of “rape and pillage” with emphasis on the rape part. So why would anyone with a brain not think that after humans kicked the crap out of a band of Neanderthals they wouldn’t rape the women left alive? Of course they would. And did. End of story. (And vice versa too I imagine) I have taught this “theory” for decades, all the while the experts have waffled back and forth. Anatomical and genetic evidence has been piling up for decades as well and once again the world has caught up with Woody. About time, too.
Just one of many references: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/345517/title/Human-Neandertal_mating_gets_a_new_date
Image: http://www.daynes.com/en/reconstructions/neanderthal.phpImage: And check this one out. http://www.daynes.com/en/reconstructions/neanderthal-4,1.php
Years ago, when I visited the Rheinisches Lanndsmuseum in Bonn, Germany, I saw the exhibit of the original Neanderthal fossils. (The town of Neanderthal is right near Bonn.) As part of the display, they'd had manikins made by forensically-reconstructing the physique and facial characteristics from the display skeletons... but instead of putting them on display behind glass, they'd dressed them up and posed them around the room like museum goers.
ReplyDeleteAssuming those recreations were at all accurate -- and admittedly, that's a big assumption -- the neanderthals fit right in. Trim his beard and put him in a suit, comb her hair and add a touch of lipstick... you wouldn't look twice at them. And ever since then, I can't help but see it in reverse: you know the kid in class? The guy with the defensive-linebacker build, the slouching shoulders, the heavy brow? You look at him, and you *know* there's some Clan of the Cave Bear in the woodpile.
I think the evidence of homo and neanderthal genetic coexistence should not be a Theory, but rather a Law of Nature. The Geico commercial certainly would agree with me lol. Joke aside, and in all honesty a genetic mix of such sort can only be good.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, this is being sent from the other side of the island.