Posted on 10/31/2024 9:21:21 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
A study published in L'Anthropologie by Professor Ella Been from Ono Academic College and Dr. Omry Barzilai from the University of Haifa sheds new light on the burial practices of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals in the Levant region during the Middle Paleolithic (MP).
The research, which examined a total of 17 Neanderthal and 15 Homo sapiens burials from various archaeological sites, revealed both similarities and differences in how these two species treated their dead, including differences in burial location, body posture and specific grave goods.
The MP in Western Asia, specifically the Levant, is of particular interest in the study of human evolution due to the co-existence of two hominin species at this time. While Homo sapiens arrived in the region between 170,000 and 90,000 years ago and re-entered the region 55,000 years ago from Africa, Neanderthals came into the Levant from Europe around 120,000 to 55,000 years ago.
During this time, both species suddenly began burying their dead, something neither species had done before. This suggests that burials were first innovated in the Levant before spreading or being autonomously innovated elsewhere.
The two species are easily distinguishable based on their biology and morphology, with nearly every bone in the body being unique to either species. However, their material culture, mobility and settlement patterns are nearly indistinguishable. Despite this, it was hypothesized that the two species may have had different burial practices.
It was a Neanderthal burial which inspired the current study, says Prof. Been, "A few years ago, my colleague Dr. Omry Barzilai and I published an article about the Neanderthals from Ein Qashish (EQ3). Initially, we were uncertain whether EQ3, which was found in an open-air site, was a burial.
(Excerpt) Read more at phys.org ...
Early Homo sapiens burial examples including a double burial from Qafzeh Cave (#9-10) [A], an adult with a boar jaw (green) at Skhul 5 [B], and an adolescent with deer antler (red) at Qafzeh 11 [C].Credit: Been and Barzilai 2024. Prof. Bernard Vandermeersch.
Given that Neanderthal inter-bred with modern humans in Europe Asia, it seems more accurate to think of them as a race rather than a separate species.
“Species” is now a political term. Same for “evolution”.
I am with you. I was taught that as part of defining a species was that species could not interbreed. Or at a minimum their offspring was unable to reproduce. As in donkey and horse.
What I’m curious to find out is if they rooted around digging up old graves for relatively meaningless tidbits of information?
Use of “The Levant” indicates opposition to Israel’s existence.
Race or breed are both correct.
All dogs are Canis familiaris. This does not mean maltipoos should share space with Pit Bulls
Search through a concordance online for the word "giant" and it is clear there were specific areas where they lived. Neanderthals.Genesis 6 - King James Version
6 1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
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