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In praise of… Neanderthal man (we have all been guilty of defaming them as half-wits)
The Guardian ^ | 01/15/2010

Posted on 01/15/2010 6:13:45 PM PST by SeekAndFind

It seems we have all been guilty of defaming Neanderthal man. Research by a team based at the University of Bristol suggests that, far from being a lumbering, witless no-hoper, he was capable, 50,000 years ago, of producing forms of cosmetic adornment and even of primitive jewellery. In 1985, finds in Murcia, Spain, had suggested that this might be so; and now an expedition led by Professor João Zilhão of Bristol has uncovered a shell which shows "a symbolic dimension in behaviour and thinking that cannot be denied". All of which suggests some decent equivalence with the hitherto far more highly rated early modern man a whole 10 millennia later. Palaeolithic archaeologists will not be alone in returning to their drawing boards. It has long been the practice in pubs and clubs and the media to use the word Neanderthal to condemn attitudes considered less than enlightened than one's own. Trade union leaders reluctant to take the advice of the Daily Mail or Daily Express have frequently found themselves assigned to this class. Sluggish footballers have come in for similar treatment. "It was a very, very worrying performance," one pundit wrote of a Republic of Ireland display against Cyprus last autumn, "with tactics that bordered on the Neanderthal." Primitive, uncivilised, ultraconservative, reactionary – all are offered as meanings of Neanderthal in current dictionaries. In the light of these latest findings, it would surely be Neanderthal (old meaning, of course) not to amend them now.

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: evolution; godsgravesglyphs; intelligentdesign; neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthalman; neanderthals
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1 posted on 01/15/2010 6:13:45 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

“we”, he must have a mouse in his pocket. I never did.


2 posted on 01/15/2010 6:14:35 PM PST by edcoil (If I had 1 cent for every dollar the government saved, Bill Gates and I would be friends.)
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To: GodGunsGuts

Ping


3 posted on 01/15/2010 6:14:45 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

I’d make a snarky comment here about my Ex-Husband...but that would be TOO easy, LOL!


4 posted on 01/15/2010 6:15:10 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save the Earth. It's the only planet with chocolate.)
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To: SeekAndFind

The folks at Geico must be feeling really bad about now.


5 posted on 01/15/2010 6:16:24 PM PST by Rocky (Obama's ego: The "I's" have it.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Ewwww, Diana! You just took the words off my fingertips!


6 posted on 01/15/2010 6:16:30 PM PST by EggsAckley (.)
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To: SeekAndFind

This could end the, “So easy a Neanderthal could do it” commercial series before it starts.

GOP ad: Neanderthals........smarter than Democrats.


7 posted on 01/15/2010 6:18:09 PM PST by SaxxonWoods (Gone Galt and loving it)
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To: EggsAckley

What? When were you married to him? I had him from ‘85-’92, LOL!

Feh! We’re ALL married to the same ‘man.’ They just change their hair and eye color to temporarily fool us. ;)


8 posted on 01/15/2010 6:19:12 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save the Earth. It's the only planet with chocolate.)
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To: SeekAndFind

You mistake my use of the term “islamderthal” for my use of the term “neanderthal”. And yes, islamderthals are half wits.


9 posted on 01/15/2010 6:20:10 PM PST by cripplecreek (Seniors, the new shovel ready project under socialized medicine.)
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To: SeekAndFind

10 posted on 01/15/2010 6:30:24 PM PST by JRios1968 (The real first rule of Fight Club: don't invite Chuck Norris...EVER)
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To: JRios1968

‘We’ didn’t wear the makeup, we made it for our wives to look good.

The jewelry was for our mistresses so they didn’t feel left out on holidays.


11 posted on 01/15/2010 6:36:30 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: Rocky

" The folks at Geico must be feeling really bad about now. "

12 posted on 01/15/2010 6:40:24 PM PST by RedMDer (Recycle Congress in 2010, 2012...)
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To: RedMDer

LOL!

Wow, that didn’t take long.


13 posted on 01/15/2010 6:43:10 PM PST by Rocky (Obama's ego: The "I's" have it.)
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To: SeekAndFind

And Martha Coakley says “hey, dumb@ss, what about Neanderthal Woman? Doesn’t she count?”


14 posted on 01/15/2010 6:43:13 PM PST by SonOfDarkSkies (Obama: "Always doing the opposite of what needs to be done!")
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To: Rocky
RE:The folks at Geico must be feeling really bad about now.


15 posted on 01/15/2010 6:58:21 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

As it turns out, these early Vikings fans were bilingual,
enjoyed a good brandy and Cuban cigar... we just don’t give
them credit!


16 posted on 01/15/2010 7:03:21 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: SeekAndFind
Those Neander boys really new how to party...


17 posted on 01/15/2010 7:43:08 PM PST by central_va ( http://www.15thvirginia.org/)
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To: SeekAndFind

Poor caveman. He’s not making much progress with his analyst.


18 posted on 01/15/2010 8:36:06 PM PST by Rocky (Obama's ego: The "I's" have it.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’ve been called lots of things, but I don’t remember ‘half-wit’ being one of them.

Oh well.


19 posted on 01/16/2010 1:21:32 AM PST by Fichori ('Wee-Weed Up' pitchfork wielding neolithic caveman villager with lit torch. Any questions?)
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To: SeekAndFind

He actually had a larger brain than Homo sapiens. It averaged around 1600 cc versus Homo sapien’s average of 1350 cc.


20 posted on 01/16/2010 1:31:47 AM PST by RC one (WHAT!!!)
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