[SunkenCiv]

Subtitled, "João Zilhão defends his controversial view that our oft-maligned relatives shared our cognitive abilities". Scientists have traditionally considered Homo sapiens the only species to invent and use symbols. But over the past few decades archaeologists have discovered a handful of enigmatic artifacts hinting that our cousins the Neandertals -- long dismissed as intellectually inferior -- might have engaged in symbolic activities, too. Experts dismissed the finds, however, attributing them to modern humans instead. The recent discovery of Neandertal jewelry and body paint from two sites in Spain provides unequivocal evidence of Neandertal symbolism and suggests that modern human behavior has ancient roots.

Archaeologica is SMOKIN' today! Here are some I "shared" on Facebook today, that I also want to put up on FR when possible.

• Romanian experts have discovered the most ancient cave paintings found to date in Central Europe, aged up to 35,000 years old PhysOrg
• A 12,000-year-old find in Keene, New Hampshire Union Leader
• Native site on Patuxent could date to 1000 BC-Was village visited by Ohio mound-builders? Baltimore Sun
• Fossils Reveal that Maya People Knew about Prehistory Art Daily
• The Thunderstone Mystery: What's a Stone Age Axe Doing in an Iron Age Tomb? Science Daily
• Mexican delegation in charge of conservation at the Theban Tomb 39, in Egypt, to begin 6th field season Art Daily
• The million mummy question: Why are there a million mummies buried near Snefu's Seila pyramid? Heritage Key

And some I didn't yet share on FB (or visit, to verify I wanna):

• Mithraic Mysteries and the Cult of Empire New American
• American archaeologists find ruins of four ancient castles in western Turkey Today's Zaman
• Behind the mummy: the real King Tutankhamun New Scientist
• Chinese Ancient Earthenware Found in Dieng-The discovery may reveal the economic situation in the Old Mataram kingdom VIVAnews
• Prehistoric pet? Dog burial found in Orange County California Orange County Register
• Teacher finds 1792 Document While Cleaning Boston Globe
• Digging Acadian history-Archaeological dig planned for 18th-century settlement PEI Guardian

[Parley Baer]

I would say they think like some of us. Look at the South Caroline Senate race and those who voted for Greene. I think those voters would qualify as having Neanderthal genes in them.

[stormer]

More importantly, do we think like them?

[Travis McGee]

Didn’t they also bury their dead with ceremony?

[Little Bill]

A 12,000 year-old find in Keene (NH), First Massholes sneaking over the border?

[concentric circles]

Neanderthals ruled the earth for upwards of 500,000 years. We should be so lucky. They were adaptable, intelligent and strong. They were not so adaptable as to successfully adjust to multiple, massive invasions by our forebears, but then, there has been sufficient degeneration of our stock that we, today could not withstand the same challenge. We should honor the Neanderthals for what they achieved and devote ourselves to a greater fulfillment of real, meaningful civilization.

[nolongerademocrat]

Kewl!

[YHAOS]

"Did Neandertals Think Like Us?"

Uhhh . . . let me think.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Did Neandertals Think Like Us?

No. They joined unions. We didn't.

[Cacique]

btt

[null and void]

Did Neandertals Think Like Us?

Yes.

That's why they are extinct.

[stuartcr]

I’m sure in some aspects they did, and in some they couldn’t possibly think like us.

[blam]

Neanderthals sure have come a long way...they’re now our ‘closest cousins.’

[70times7]

ME NOT KNOW. WHY YOU ASK?

[JoeProBono]

[Zionist Conspirator]

That’s what liberals seem to think!

[ZinGirl]

"Did Neandertals Think Like Us?"

yes. they used improper grammar, too.