Author says prehistoric humans were a lot like us [Jean Auel]

Register-Guard ^ | Tuesday, February 28, 2006 | Jeff Wright

[SunkenCiv]

If someone calls you a Neanderthal, maybe you should take it as a compliment. When it comes to defending the reputation of prehistoric humans, you'd be hard pressed to find a better advocate than Jean Auel, the Portland author of the hugely popular Earth's Children series of novels... Auel first introduced readers to Ayla, a 5-year-old Cro-Magnon orphan girl adopted by a clan of Neanderthals, in "The Clan of the Cave Bear," published in 1980. In that and four subsequent books, Auel has honed her reputation for tireless research that allows her to place her characters amid the details of everyday prehistoric life.

[SunkenCiv]

:')

[Renfield]

I'm not saying that I make the argument....I was just explaining the other poster's position.

[Renfield]

I don't know about scientists' speculations, but my guess is that it protects against nerve damage in a fistfight.

A lot of people wonder what supraorbital ridges ("brow-ridges") are for. I suspect they are an adaptation that protects the eye orbital from being crushed when a blow to the front of the head is sustained. Remember, life for cave men was nasty, brutish, and short.

[Jhohanna]

Thank you for this... Jean is one of my favorite authors, and I was lucky enough to meet her once. :)

[elli1]

Thanks for the correction.

[Ciexyz]

Jean Auel started the genre of Cave Man historical novels, and she deserves our esteem for developing a new "genre" of popular fiction.

[Jhohanna]

Absolutely. She is also to be noted for those of us that can see the ties to our evolutionary ancestral brothers. Sometimes, I think 'flatheads' are far more human than we.

[LiteKeeper]

Most likely - since we are homo sapiens

[gleeaikin]

"Purpose of brow-ridges."

If one is living out in the weather and has not yet learned to build homes or can't find good caves, the the brow ridges would help direct rain away from the eyes. This is a very ancient feature, going back to rain-forest days, which man no longer needed when he had shelter.

There was a very interesting FR posts recently: "European faces reflect stone age ancestry, study says." It seems that northern celts like the Scots may have significant Neanderthal genes. There is a specific gene found in 40% of that population that may be Neanderthal. Traits include, brow ridges, red hair, short legs, heavy body, etc. Sounds like those old Picts jumping over Hadrian's Wall. Lots of good discussion there.

While not trained as a scientist, JA had a job requiring a good analytical mind. She has done a great deal of research, and visits sites and digs and spends time kicking ideas around with the pros. That is why her books take a long time to write, and why I check my bookstore every 6 months.

[SunkenCiv]

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