The stapes of a neanderthal child points to the anatomical differences with respect to our species [

University of the Basque Country• ^ | Wednesday, March 25, 2015 | (press release)

[SunkenCiv]

• New remains recovered in an excavation carried out over 40 years ago have enabled this auditory ossicle to be reconstructed
• Asier Gómez-Olivencia, an Ikerbasque researcher at the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country, has published in The Journal of Human Evolution a piece of research in which he stresses the importance of reviewing old excavations

The Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) inhabited Europe and parts of western Asia between 230,000 and 28,000 years ago... The archaeological site at La Ferrassie, excavated throughout the 20th century, is a mythical enclave because it was where 7 Neanderthal skeletons, ranging from foetuses to almost complete skeletons of adults, were found.

Among the remains discovered at La Ferrassie is the skeleton of a 2-year-old Neanderthal child found between 1970 and 1973 and baptised La Ferrassie 8; over 40 years since its discovery it has turned out to be useful in shedding new light on the anatomy of this extinct species.

The study began by reviewing the collections at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris and at the Museo d'Archéologie national de St. Germain-en-Laye linked to the excavations at La Ferrassie in 1970 and 1973; it was there that 47 new fossils belonging to La Ferrassie 8, which complete its skeleton further, were recovered. Remains of a skull, jaw, vertebrae, ribs and hand phalanges were found among the new fossils.

Featuring among the remains is a very complete left temporal bone and an auditory ossicle was found inside it: a complete stapes. Virtual 3D reconstruction techniques enabled this ossicle to be "extracted virtually" and studied.

This stapes is the most complete one in the Neanderthal record and certifies that there are morphological differences between our species and the Neanderthals even in the smallest ossicles in the human body.

[Rockpile]

Well,how ‘bout that. They used the word mythical correctly.

[Larry Lucido]

:-)

[Natufian]

Almost certainly a sloppy translation. Mitico in Spanish can be translated as mythical but in this context means legendary because of it’s fame, as in the legendary rock group, Led Zeppelin.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Natufian.

[Rockpile]

Legions of imbeciles think that the word "myth" means false, fake, phony, untrue, not real instead of the legendary sense it actually means. And then there are the chumps who think airport concrete is made out of tar macadam; or that Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan are the Middle East instead of the Near East. And where the hell is the Second World at? Be glad you re not in my living room and don't have to hear me addressing TV talking heads. 😁

[SunkenCiv]

My TV is also glad it’s deaf, and never learned lipreading. :’)

[Rockpile]

Hah hah! Poor. Spouse had to endure listening to me. She eventually just tuned me out.