Neanderthals fished more frequently than previously thought, study says

Daily Sabah ^ | August 15, 2019 | AFP

[SunkenCiv]

New research published Wednesday revealed that abnormal bony growths in the ear canal, also called "surfer's ear" and often seen in people who take part in water sports in colder climates, occurred frequently in our ancient cousins who died out around 40,000 years ago.

...the findings may mean they fished far more frequently than the archaeological record suggests, the scientists behind the study published in journal PLOS One said.

"It reinforces a number of arguments and sources of data to argue for a level of adaptability and flexibility and capability among the Neanderthals, which has been denied them by some people in the field," lead author Erik Trinkaus at Washington University in St Louis told AFP.

That's because in order to be successful at fishing or hunting aquatic mammals, "you have to be able to have a certain minimal level of technology, you need to be able to know when the fish are going to be coming up the rivers or going along the coast -- it's a fairly elaborate process," he said.

Trinkaus and his colleagues, Sebastien Villotte and Mathilde Samsel from the University of Bordeaux, looked at well-preserved ear canals in the remains of 77 ancient humans including Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens found in Europe and west Asia.

While early modern humans showed similar frequencies of the bony growths to levels seen today, the condition was present in about half the 23 Neanderthal remains from 100,000 to 40,000 years ago...

Trinkaus anticipated some resistance to the paper in the wider paleoanthropology community, just as there was in 2018 following the landmark discovery that the world's oldest known cave art in Spain was crafted not by biologically modern humans but by Neanderthals.

[SunkenCiv]

• Neanderthals walked upright just like the humans of today [2019]
• Neandertals' Main Food Source Was Definitely Meat [2019]
• We should gene-sequence cave paintings to find out more about who made them [2019]
• Extinct human species lived together in Siberian cave, new research shows [2019]
• Following the last Neanderthals: Mammal tracks in Late Pleistocene coastal dunes of Gibraltar [2019]
• New Thoughts on Neanderthals' Diet [2019]
• Do you carry Neanderthal DNA? The shape of your skull may tell [2018]
• Neanderthals and humans were hooking up way more than anyone thought [2018]
• New Virtual Reconstruction Of A Neanderthal Thorax Suggests Another Breathing Mechanism [2018]
• Earliest hominin migrations into the Arabian Peninsula required no novel adaptations [2018]
• Study reconstructs Neandertal ribcage, offers new clues to ancient human anatomy [2018]
• Neanderthal-like features in 450,000-year-old fossil teeth from the Italian Peninsula [2018]
• Neanderthal healthcare practices crucial to survival [2018]
• Neanderthals Were Human Too [2018]
• This ancient bone belonged to a child of two extinct human species [Denisovan, Neandertal] [2018]
• Cave girl was half Neanderthal, half Denisovan [2018]
• Neandertals, Stone Age people may have voyaged the Mediterranean [2018]
• A New Batch of Neanderthal Genome Provides Insights Into Their Complex History [2018]
• Compassion Helped Neanderthals To Survive, Study Reveals [2018]
• additional topics

[SunkenCiv]

KEYWORDS: neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthals

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]

[EnglishOnly]

Did they use a spin-cast rod or a popeil pocket fisherman?

[Alas Babylon!]

ESPECIALLY during Lent.

[4yearlurker]

But they gave it up because beer wasn't invented yet.

[Openurmind]

40,000 year old rope maker. They were more intelligent than we give them credit for and probably used nets.

http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/rope-making-tool-germany-04047.html

[antidemoncrat]

“the findings may mean they fished far more frequently than the archaeological record suggests”

Worthless study. Maybe they just spent too much time in the swimming pool.

[yesthatjallen]

the findings may mean they fished far more frequently than the archaeological record suggests, the scientists behind the study published in journal PLOS One said.

Or they actually liked to bathe and a good romp in the water felt great or they learned basic hygiene or they found they could cool off on hot days by jumping in the water.

Or maybe they were in the water fishing.

[SolidRedState]

Just because they had “surfer’s ear” ?

It could mean they were the world’s first surfers.

Or maybe just swimming around for relaxation and fun.

Or maybe their mates made them take cold showers a bit to often.

[Vendome]

“you have to be able to have a certain minimal level of technology, you need to be able to know when the fish are going to be coming up the rivers or going along the coast — it’s a fairly elaborate process,” he said.

It’s not rocket science...

[SunkenCiv]

Some, not we. :^)

Found the oldest Neanderthal wooden tools in the Iberian Peninsula
Phys dot org | April 4, 2018 | Centro Nacional de Investigacion sobre la Evolucion Humana
Posted on 04/06/2018 4:46:23 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3645333/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/homoheidelbergensis/index

[Reily]

This is what they did for fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCV6paTXyCU

[gundog]

"...you need to be able to know when the fish are going to be coming up the rivers or going along the coast -- it's a fairly elaborate process,"

Pretty sure there are always fish in the rivers and oceans. Or were Neanderthals snooty fly fishermen that turned their noses up at anything but Atlantic Salmon?

[SunkenCiv]

Homo Heidelbergensis keyword, chrono sorted:

• Scientists Confirm Earliest Use of Fire and Oldest Stone Handaxe in Europe [2018]
• Site in Germany yields human presence over 1 million years ago [2016]
• Latest study suggests early human dispersal into Spain through Strait of Gibraltar [2016]
• New insights on the wooden weapons from the Paleolithic site of Schoningen [2015]
• DNA from Neandertal relative may shake up human family tree [2015]
• Study reveals human body has gone through four stages of evolution [2015]
• French teen finds 560,000 year-old tooth (Update) [2015]
• Ancient Mariners: Did Neanderthals Sail to Mediterranean? [2012]
• Anthropologist suggests Mediterranean islands inhabited much earlier than thought [2012]
• Studies slow the human DNA clock [2012]
• Skilled hunters 300,000 years ago [2012]
• 300 000 year old flint tools found in Northern France [2012]
• Neanderthals were ancient mariners [2012]
• Caves in Spain Yielding More Early Human Finds [2011]
• Heidelberg Man Links Humans, Neanderthals [2011]
• Cretan tools point to 130,000-year-old sea travel [2011]
• Scientists find sign cave dwellers took care of elderly [2010]
• 400,000 year old spears found in an German coal mine! [2010]
• Prehistoric Europeans Hunted, Ate Lion? Knife-scarred bones suggest early humans took on big cat [2010]
• On Crete, New Evidence of Very Ancient Mariners [2010]
• Ancient hominids may have been seafarers [2010]
• Cavemen Roasted Birds, Too [Homo heidelbergensis] [2009]
• Early humans may have cared for disabled young [2009]
• Human Ancestor Preserved in Stone [2007]
• Early Humans Settled India Before Europe, Study Suggests [2005]
• Prehistoric Knives Suggest Humans Competed [2005]
• The Mysterious End Of Essex Man (UK) [2005]
• Stone Age Elephant Remains Found (England, Slain By Humans) [2004]
• Stones May Hold Key To Why We Are Here [2004]
• Oldest human footprints found on volcano [2003]

[SunkenCiv]

Some of them just couldn’t resist a duoble dare on who could hold their breath underwater the longest. Here’s the winner:

Sea gives up Neanderthal fossil [ dredged up from the North Sea ]
BBC | Monday, June 15, 2009 | Paul Rincon
Posted on 06/15/2009 8:19:35 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2272129/posts

[gnarledmaw]

" "you have to be able to have a certain minimal level of technology, you need to be able to know when the fish are going to be coming up the rivers or going along the coast -- it's a fairly elaborate process,""

Just like the chimps known to fish with clubs? I suspect it was more like my dads sow that used to teach her piglets to fish in the spring creek because even the Mayans didn't have a calendar as advanced as that of the pig.

[gundog]

Based on this book, archaeoligists recreate a Neanderthal fishing lure:

[SunkenCiv]

They invented the "cannonball". Neandertal descendants wrote the theme song for "Petticoat Junction", btw.

[Openurmind]

Yep, I stand corrected. :)

I found the rope maker to be one of the most significant finds to date, This is a HUGE jump in technological innovation compared to what was assumed to be capable at that timeline.

At first I was skeptical about their interpretation of this tool. Then I looked at it further and realized that anyone who knows rope or cordage can spot the telltale confirmation.

Especially if one has ever hand twisted cordage such as a Flemish twist bow string. Do you see this in how it is made?

[SunkenCiv]

https://untappd.com/NeanderthalBrewing