How Neanderthals met a grisly fate: devoured by humans

Guardian ^ | 5/17/09 | Robin McKie

[LibWhacker]

A fossil discovery bears marks of butchering similar to those made when cutting up a deer

One of science's most puzzling mysteries - the disappearance of the Neanderthals - may have been solved. Modern humans ate them, says a leading fossil expert.

The controversial suggestion follows publication of a study in the Journal of Anthropological Sciences about a Neanderthal jawbone apparently butchered by modern humans. Now the leader of the research team says he believes the flesh had been eaten by humans, while its teeth may have been used to make a necklace.

[gleeaikin]

I wonder why no cave paintings have ever been found showing Neanderthal people? Anyone have a theory for that? At least some of the paintings are more than 30 K years.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

He’s the toughest man there is alive
Alley Oop
Wears clothes from a wildcat’s hide
Alley Oop
He’s the king of the jungle jive
Look at that caveman go!

He rides through the jungle tearin’ limbs offa trees
Alley Oop Oop, Oop Oop Oop
And knocking great big monsters dead on their knees
Alley Oop Oop, Oop Oop Oop
Other cats don’t bug him ‘cos they know better
Alley Oop Oop, Oop Oop Oop
‘Cos he’s a mean motor scooter and a bad go-getter
Alley Oop Oop, Oop Oop Oop

[blam]

"I wonder why no cave paintings have ever been found showing Neanderthal people? Anyone have a theory for that? At least some of the paintings are more than 30 K years."

I can't answer that. I'm not sure that some of the paintings aren't by the Neanderthals.

[ExSES]

One of science's most puzzling mysteries - the disappearance of the Neanderthals - may have been solved. Modern humans ate them, says a leading fossil expert.

Just another variety of "Long Pig" on the human menu over the years...

[SIDENET]

Q: What wine pairs with Neanderthal?

A: Primitivo.

[SunkenCiv]

There aren't any portraits of people AFAIK, in any of the surviving known cave paintings -- just animals, some unknown shapes, some characters (as in writing, but there's no way to know what it means or whether it was actually meant to be understood that way), and handprints.

In her Plato Prehistorian: 10,000 to 5000 B.C. Myth, Religion, Archaeology, Mary Settegast reproduces a table which shows four runic character sets; a is Upper Paleolithic (found among the cave paintings), b is Indus Valley script, c is Greek (western branch), and d is the Scandinavian runic alphabet.