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Neanderthals used feathers as 'personal ornaments'
bbc ^ | 17 September 2012 | Paul Rincon

Posted on 09/18/2012 12:26:03 PM PDT by BenLurkin

Clive Finlayson and Kimberly Brown from the Gibraltar Museum, along with colleagues from Spain, Canada and Belgium, examined a database of 1,699 ancient sites across Eurasia, comparing data on birds at locations used by humans with those that were not.

They found a clear association between raptor and corvid remains and sites that had been occupied by humans.

They then looked more closely at bird bones found at Neanderthal sites in Gibraltar, including Gorham's and Vanguard cave, near the base of the rock: "The Neanderthals had cut through and marked the bones. But what were they cutting? We realised a lot of it was wing bones, particularly those holding large primary feathers," Prof Finlayson told BBC News.

Co-author Jordi Rosell, from Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona, Spain, said: "We saw the cut-marks on bird bones at one cave, and then started seeing them in others. I think it's a common aspect to the caves in this rock."

Juan Jose Negro, director of the Donana Biological Station in Seville, Spain, who is another co-author, said: ...

"The only explanation left is the use of those long feathers."

Not only this, but the ancient humans appeared to have a preference for birds with dark or black plumage. Species represented at the sites include ravens, crows, rooks, magpies, jackdaws, various types of eagle and vulture, red and black kites, kestrels and falcons.

...

Dr Negro cautioned that there was no way to tell how the feathers were put to use. But he observed: "Current uses of feathers typically involve the same species. If you think of the Plains Indians in North America, they put those feathers in headdresses and they are signalling. They are signalling power and status. Perhaps the Neanderthals were using feathers in the same way."

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: feathers; godsgravesglyphs; neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthals
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To: WVKayaker

Ahhhhh.....sweet Felicia......she had a tattoos all over her body of national parks......you shoulda seen the Grand Canyon......it was majestic.....it made me cry......


21 posted on 09/18/2012 2:33:13 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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The Neandertal Enigma
by James Shreeve

in local libraries
Frayer's own reading of the record reveals a number of overlooked traits that clearly and specifically link the Neandertals to the Cro-Magnons. One such trait is the shape of the opening of the nerve canal in the lower jaw, a spot where dentists often give a pain-blocking injection. In many Neandertal, the upper portion of the opening is covered by a broad bony ridge, a curious feature also carried by a significant number of Cro-Magnons. But none of the alleged 'ancestors of us all' fossils from Africa have it, and it is extremely rare in modern people outside Europe." [pp 126-127]
KEYWORDS: neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthals

22 posted on 09/18/2012 3:05:01 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: BenLurkin; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; decimon; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; ...

 GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach
Thanks BenLurkin.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.


23 posted on 09/18/2012 6:07:50 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: Sacajaweau
Bottom line: Can't see why this is such a reckoning.

Which creatures use artificial ornamentation on their own bodies?

24 posted on 09/18/2012 6:28:03 PM PDT by null and void (Day 1338 of our ObamaVacation from reality - Obama, a queer and present danger)
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To: Revolting cat!; Slings and Arrows; Lazamataz
Works for me.


25 posted on 09/18/2012 6:28:28 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Obama likes to claim credit for getting Osama. Why hasn't he tried Khalid Sheikh Mohammed yet?)
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To: Revolting cat!; Slings and Arrows; SunkenCiv
Apparently the Bird of Paradise flew up his nose.


26 posted on 09/18/2012 6:30:25 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Obama likes to claim credit for getting Osama. Why hasn't he tried Khalid Sheikh Mohammed yet?)
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To: DManA
Maybe Neanderthal HAD feathers.

Not in the pictures I've seen.


27 posted on 09/18/2012 6:35:28 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Obama likes to claim credit for getting Osama. Why hasn't he tried Khalid Sheikh Mohammed yet?)
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To: a fool in paradise

I think you found a picture of the ANCESTORS of the Neanderthals.


28 posted on 09/18/2012 6:41:44 PM PDT by DManA
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To: blueunicorn6; SunkenCiv
Don't forget Miss Sally Rand . . .


29 posted on 09/19/2012 12:51:33 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: colorado tanker

The portrayal of her doing that feather dance in “The Right Stuff” was one of the highlights of that film, still the best of the genre.


30 posted on 09/19/2012 6:46:38 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: Sacajaweau

It was a serious question. Only humans decorate their own bodies as a means of attracting the opposite sex.

This means Homo neanderthalensis truly was a member of the human races.


31 posted on 09/19/2012 7:29:03 PM PDT by null and void (Day 1339 of our ObamaVacation from reality - Obama, a queer and present danger)
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To: BenLurkin

“Juan Jose Negro, director of the Donana Biological Station in Seville, Spain...”

“Juan Jose Negro?” ...now that’s some serious affirmitive action in action right there.


32 posted on 09/21/2012 3:33:48 PM PDT by Towed_Jumper (I need a new tagline...please help.)
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