Neanderthals 'used violence'

BBC Online ^ | Monday, 22 April, 2002, 23:04 GMT 00:04 UK | Helen Briggs

[The Scorpion King]

You mean- we've been TOTALLY lied to by "the Flintstones?"

[general_re]

Ah, yes - the Church of the Latter-Day Druids (or whatever they call themselves) is one of my favorites also. Especially since what little we know of the original Druids comes mostly from Caesar's accounts of tromping around Gaul. And he had almost nothing nice to say about them - I seem to recall that one of their preferred methods of predicting the future consisted of boiling a man alive, and interpreting his screams as he died. I don't hear about that one much anymore. Maybe they've retired it ;)

[Shooter 2.5]

Maybe he was cleaning it and it went off?

[Doctor Stochastic]

Did a bass clarinet. Never did the double reeds though.

[Age of Reason]

Neanderthals 'used violence'

This is a surprise?

Like Neanderthals lived among the cold glaciers because they liked to ski?

They lived among the cold glaciers because the people living in the warm areas kicked them out by force, because of scarcity engendered by overpopulation.

[delphine]

Personally, I love the "Druids" and other assorted heathen who practice a made-up and sanitized versions of their "religions". You wouldn't see very many modern people attend druidic ceremonies if the priest was going to choose one of the congregation of a human sacrifice. And how many tree-huggers who love the American Indians and their "nature religions" even want to think about how these savages ensured that the sun would return in the winter?

Be fair to the Indians. The pre-Columbian Americas consisted of two empires, a larger number of chiefdoms, and numerous independent villages and hunter-gatherer bands. Fixing the blame for the sins of the Aztecs (who praticed ritual human sacrifice, what I believe you are referring to) onto all Indians makes about as much sense as blaming the medieval Scots for the sins of the Byzantine Empire (same continent, different people). Naturally, liberals often make the same generalization, but in reverse (the Yahi were nature-oriented and environmentally conscious, therefore all Indians were *puke*). You are right that some Indian tribes and/or empires certainly were extremely brutal.

[Rule of Law]

Fixing the blame for the sins of the Aztecs (who praticed ritual human sacrifice, what I believe you are referring to)

Not just the Aztecs. Many Indians west of the Mississippi practiced human sacrifices. Probably some of the eastern Indians did too.

Human sacrifices were a common feature in "nature religions". Not just Indians. Europeans practiced the same sort of rituals.

[Rule of Law]

Maybe they've retired it

Funny thing about the Romans. They were remarkably tolerant of other religions. Pretty much as long as you didn't practice human sacrifices or try to convert your neighbor, you were OK. If you did one of these things, they suppressed you.

The Druids got suppressed but good, for the one reason, and they attempted to suppress our Christian forebears for the other.

[kidd]

A crack in the skull of the 36,000 year-old Neanderthal was caused by a sharp tool, say anthropologists. An early modern human may have struck the blow. They think another Neanderthal or an early human attacked the young adult.

Neanderthal youth violence! Did they ever know peace in the streets? We need to rid the Neanderthal streets of the Saturday Night Special sharp tool. We need to ban Neanderthal assault sharp tools!

[delphine]

Of course it appeared in more than one culture. It just wasn't universal.

[Rule of Law]

It just wasn't universal.

Agreed.

[RightOnline]

"Could have been an industrial accident:

One Injured in Flint Tool Factory Accident Family threatens lawsuit"

LOL...............................I was picturing something more along the lines of:

"OK OK, Og........ok, now........hold that riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight there........yeah, that's it. Now, don't move. Yeah yeah........I can hit it. No, I won't hit you. Now shut up and don't move, ok???????"

[Justa]

"Neanderthals were cavemen of peace."

And don't forget: Their diversity was their strength.

[rbmillerjr]

lmao