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Coppe J, Taipale N, Rots V. Terminal ballistic analysis of impact fractures reveals the use of spearthrower 31 ky ago at Maisières-Canal, Belgium. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18305. [PMID: 37880379 PMCID: PMC10600151 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45554-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of hunting technology in the deep past fundamentally shaped the subsistence strategies of early human populations. Hence knowing when different weapons were first introduced is important for understanding our evolutionary trajectory. The timing of the adoption of long-range weaponry remains heavily debated because preserved organic weapon components are extremely rare in the Paleolithic record and stone points are difficult to attribute reliably to weapon delivery methods without supporting organic evidence. Here, we use a refined use-wear approach to demonstrate that spearthrower was used for launching projectiles armed with tanged flint points at Maisières-Canal (Belgium) 31,000 years ago. The novelty of our approach lies in the combination of impact fracture data with terminal ballistic analysis of the mechanical stress suffered by a stone armature on impact. This stress is distinct for each weapon and visible archaeologically as fracture proportions on assemblage scale. Our reference dataset derives from a sequential experimental program that addressed individually each key parameter affecting fracture formation and successfully reproduced the archaeological fracture signal. The close match between the archaeological sample and the experimental spearthrower set extends the timeline of spearthrower use by over 10,000 years and represents the earliest reliable trace-based evidence for the utilization of long-distance weaponry in prehistoric hunting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Coppe
- TraceoLab/Prehistory, University of Liège, Place du 20-Août 7 (Bât. A4), 4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Noora Taipale
- TraceoLab/Prehistory, University of Liège, Place du 20-Août 7 (Bât. A4), 4000, Liège, Belgium
- F.R.S.-FNRS, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Veerle Rots
- TraceoLab/Prehistory, University of Liège, Place du 20-Août 7 (Bât. A4), 4000, Liège, Belgium
- F.R.S.-FNRS, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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Pomeroy E. Review: The different adaptive trajectories in Neanderthals and Homo sapiens and their implications for contemporary human physiological variation. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 280:111420. [PMID: 37001690 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Neanderthals are our one of our closest evolutionary cousins, but while they evolved in Eurasia, we (anatomically modern humans, AMH) originated in Africa. This contrasting evolutionary history has led to morphological and genetic distinctions between our species. Neanderthals are characterised by a relatively stocky build, high body mass, proportionally wide bodies and shorter limbs, a bell-shaped ribcage with a wide pelvis, and a long, low cranial vault compared with AMH. Classic readings of Neanderthal morphology link many of these traits to cold climate adaptations, however these interpretations have been questioned and alternative hypotheses including behavioural factors, dietary adaptations, locomotor specialisations, evolutionary history and neutral evolutionary processes have been invoked. Compared with AMH, Neanderthals may have been adapted for strength and power rather than endurance and may have consumed a diet high in animal products. However, reviewing these hypotheses highlights a number of limitations in our understanding of contemporary human physiology and metabolism, including the relationship between climate and morphology in AMH and Neanderthals, physiological limits on protein consumption, and the relationship between gut morphology and diet. As various relevant factors are clearly linked (e.g. diet, behaviour, metabolism, morphology, activity), ultimately a more integrated approach may be needed to fully understand Neanderthal biology. Variation among contemporary AMHs may offer, with caveats, a useful model for understanding the evolution of both Neanderthal and modern human characteristics, which in turn may further deepen our understanding of variability within and between contemporary humans. Neanderthals; Anatomically modern humans; morphology; climate adaptation; power adaptations; metabolism; diet; physiology; endurance running.
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Breyl M. Triangulating Neanderthal cognition: A tale of not seeing the forest for the trees. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci 2020; 12:e1545. [PMID: 32918796 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The inference of Neanderthal cognition, including their cultural and linguistic capabilities, has persisted as a fiercely debated research topic for decades. This lack of consensus is substantially based on inherent uncertainties in reconstructing prehistory out of indirect evidence as well as other methodological limitations. Further factors include systemic difficulties within interdisciplinary discourse, data artifacts, historic research biases, and the sheer scope of the relevant research. Given the degrees of freedom in interpretation ensuing from these complications, any attempt to find approximate answers to the yet unsettled pertinent discourse may not rest on single studies, but instead a careful and comprehensive interdisciplinary synthesis of findings. Triangulating Neanderthals' cognition by considering the plethora of data, diverse perspectives and aforementioned complexities present within the literature constitutes the currently most reliable pathway to tentative conclusions. While some uncertainties remain, such an approach paints the picture of an extensive shared humanity between anatomically modern humans and Neanderthals. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition Linguistics > Evolution of Language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Breyl
- Germanistik, Komparatistik, Nordistik, Deutsch als Fremdsprache, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
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Been E, Hovers E, Ekshtain R, Malinski-Buller A, Agha N, Barash A, Mayer DEBY, Benazzi S, Hublin JJ, Levin L, Greenbaum N, Mitki N, Oxilia G, Porat N, Roskin J, Soudack M, Yeshurun R, Shahack-Gross R, Nir N, Stahlschmidt MC, Rak Y, Barzilai O. The first Neanderthal remains from an open-air Middle Palaeolithic site in the Levant. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2958. [PMID: 28592838 PMCID: PMC5462778 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03025-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The late Middle Palaeolithic (MP) settlement patterns in the Levant included the repeated use of caves and open landscape sites. The fossil record shows that two types of hominins occupied the region during this period—Neandertals and Homo sapiens. Until recently, diagnostic fossil remains were found only at cave sites. Because the two populations in this region left similar material cultural remains, it was impossible to attribute any open-air site to either species. In this study, we present newly discovered fossil remains from intact archaeological layers of the open-air site ‘Ein Qashish, in northern Israel. The hominin remains represent three individuals: EQH1, a nondiagnostic skull fragment; EQH2, an upper right third molar (RM3); and EQH3, lower limb bones of a young Neandertal male. EQH2 and EQH3 constitute the first diagnostic anatomical remains of Neandertals at an open-air site in the Levant. The optically stimulated luminescence ages suggest that Neandertals repeatedly visited ‘Ein Qashish between 70 and 60 ka. The discovery of Neandertals at open-air sites during the late MP reinforces the view that Neandertals were a resilient population in the Levant shortly before Upper Palaeolithic Homo sapiens populated the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Been
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Professions, Ono Academic College, Kiryat Ono, 55107, Israel. .,Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
| | - Erella Hovers
- Institute of Archaeology, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel.,Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874101, Tempe, AZ, 85287-4101, Israel
| | - Ravid Ekshtain
- Institute of Archaeology, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel
| | - Ariel Malinski-Buller
- MONREPOS Archaeological Research Centre and Museum for Human Behavioural Evolution, Schloss Monrepos, D - 56567, Neuwied, Germany
| | - Nuha Agha
- Israel Antiquities Authority, P.O. Box 586, Jerusalem, 91004, Israel
| | - Alon Barash
- Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar Ilan University, Zefat, 13115, Israel
| | - Daniella E Bar-Yosef Mayer
- Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.,Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Stefano Benazzi
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121, Ravenna, Italy.,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lihi Levin
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Noam Greenbaum
- Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Netta Mitki
- Institute of Archaeology, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel
| | - Gregorio Oxilia
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121, Ravenna, Italy.,Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via del Proconsolo, 12, 50122, Firenze, Italy
| | - Naomi Porat
- Luminescence Dating Lab, Geological Survey of Israel, Jerusalem, 95501, Israel
| | - Joel Roskin
- Department of Maritime Civilizations, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.,School of Sciences, Achva Academic College, Shikmim Mobile Post 79800, Shikmim, Israel
| | - Michalle Soudack
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, 52621, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Reuven Yeshurun
- Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Ruth Shahack-Gross
- Department of Maritime Civilizations, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Nadav Nir
- Institute of Archaeology, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel
| | | | - Yoel Rak
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Omry Barzilai
- Israel Antiquities Authority, P.O. Box 586, Jerusalem, 91004, Israel
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