Neanderthals

The Golden Eagle has played a prominent part in the cultures and traditions of people across Eurasia and North America. The Neanderthals have for a long time been considered incapable of systematically catching birds of any description. Recent work has demonstrated that not only were they able to catch birds, they also took diurnal raptors. In this paper we show that Neanderthals selectively took the largest raptors at their disposal within Eurasia. Among these large raptors was the Golden Eagle, the most powerful and dominant of the raptors. Neanderthals and Golden Eagles co-shared the same habitats and landscapes across the Palaearctic region. We show that the long human/Golden Eagle association goes at least as far back as the Neanderthals.

Neanderthals were the only human group in Europe throughout the Late Pleistocene until the arrival of modern humans, and while their presence has been confirmed in the surrounding regions, no Neanderthal fossils are known to date from the Central Balkans. Systematic excavations of Pešturina Cave (Serbia) resulted in the discovery of a permanent right M1 (Pes-3). The specimen was recovered from stratigraphic Layer 4b with an estimated age of 102.4 ± 3.2 ka, associated with Mousterian artifacts. The exceptional state of preservation and minimal wear of the molar enabled a detailed description and comparative analysis of the inner and outer dental structure, including non-metric dental traits and morphometric features of the crown, roots, and dental tissues. The results of this study strongly support the identification of Pes-3 as Neanderthal. Non-metric traits of the occlusal surface of the crown, enamel-dentine junction, and roots are consistent with Neanderthal morphology. The crown shows morphometric features typical for Neanderthal M1, such as a buccolingually skewed crown shape, internally compressed cusps, and a relatively large hypocone. The specimen also shows Neanderthal-like dental tissue proportions, characterized by relatively thin enamel and large coronal dentine and coronal pulp volumes. The discovery of the Pes-3 molar therefore confirms the presence of Neanderthals in the territory of Serbia and the Central Balkans at the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5c.

This paper represents a summary of an ongoing research project focused on stone projectile technology  during Middle Palaeolithic in South-western Europe. The first aim of the project is to understand whether Neanderthals were able to produce complex throwing weapons, most likely connected with subsistence activities. The use of stone projectile weapons is an advanced technological behaviour, which presumes a high level of cognition, a capacity for abstraction and to plan ahead, in order to supply every single component of the weapon.
Several analytical methods are used to examine convergent stone tools (Levallois points) from three Middle Palaeolithic sites located in southern France, Catalonia, and Italy. A techno-functional analysis of convergent stone tools is set to reconstruct the chaînes opératoires and the preferential operational schemes employed for the debitage, while use-wear analysis are concentrated upon specific patterns of tool utilizations (impact fractures, hafting marks, micropolish).
Preliminary results of macro-wear analysis and further understanding of the dataset for this project
might produce fascinating outcomes about the multi-functionality of convergent stone tools and suggest the growing importance of complex throwing technologies in the European Middle Palaeolithic.

There is considerable variation in mid-late Pleisto-cene hominin paranasal sinuses, and in some taxa distinctive craniofacial shape has been linked to sinus size. Extreme frontal sinus size has been reported in mid-Pleistocene specimens often classified as Homo heidelbergensis, and Nean-derthal sinuses are said to be distinctively large, explaining diagnostic Neanderthal facial shape. Here, the sinuses of fossil hominins attributed to several mid-late Pleistocene taxa were compared to those of recent H. sapiens. The sinuses were investigated to clarify differences in the extent of pneu-matisation within this group and the relationship between sinus size and craniofacial variation in hominins from this time period. Frontal and maxillary sinus volumes were measured from CT data, and geometric morphometric methods were used to identify and analyse shape variables associated with sinus volume. Some mid-Pleistocene specimens were found to have extremely large frontal sinuses, supporting previous suggestions that this may be a diagnostic characteristic of this group. Contrary to traditional assertions, however , rather than mid-Pleistocene Homo or Neanderthals having large maxillary sinuses, this study shows that H. sapiens has distinctively small maxillary sinuses. While the causes of large sinuses in mid-Pleistocene Homo remain uncertain, small maxillary sinuses in H. sapiens most likely result from the derived craniofacial morphology that is diagnostic of our species. These conclusions build on previous studies to overturn long-standing but unfounded theories about the pneumatic influences on Neanderthal craniofacial form, whilst opening up questions about the ecological correlates of pneumatisation in hominins. Résumé Les sinus paranasaux des hominines du Pléisto-cène moyen final présentent une variation morphologique considérable. Chez certains taxons, la taille des sinus semble-t-être liée à une morphologie craniofaciale particu-lière. Les fossiles du Pléistocène moyen, souvent rattachés au taxon H. heidelbergensis, présentent des sinus frontaux de taille extrêmement importante. Cette caractéristique est partagée avec les Néandertaliens, chez qui une taille impor-tante des sinus frontaux semble expliquer la forme spécifi-que de leur morphologie faciale. Dans cette étude, nous comparons les sinus d'hominines attribués à plusieurs tax-ons du Pléistocène moyen final à ceux d'H. sapiens récents. Les sinus ont été étudiés pour clarifier les différences dans l'étendue de la pneumatisation au sein de ce groupe et la relation entre la taille des sinus et la variation craniofaciale chez les hominines de cette période. Les volumes des sinus frontaux et maxillaires ont été mesurés à partir de données tomodensitométriques, et des méthodes de morphométrie géométrique ont été utilisées pour identifier et analyser les variables de conformation associées au volume sinusal. Cer-tains spécimens du Pléistocène moyen ont des sinus fron-taux extrêmement grands, ce qui renforce l'hypothèse pré-cédemment suggérée selon laquelle des sinus de grandes

Coastal occupation is a central topic in human evolution studies to address human dispersal routes, seasonal movements, and emergence of complex behaviour. Several questions remain unresolved about ancient coastal adaptations: were coastal occupations and exploitations influenced by biological, geographical or chronological factors? How has each population adapted its technological, subsistence and mobility strategies to coastal exploitation?

This session aims to bring together researchers working in complementary disciplines including zooarchaeology, malacology, chemical analysis, dating, lithic technology, use-wear, and spatial analysis in coastal sites during Palaeolithic in Africa and Europe. Our goal is to enhance the understanding of ancient human behaviours, the emergence and variability of coastal adaptations in space and time, and to discuss their role in human biological and cultural evolution. Presentations of archaeological case studies and syntheses, as well as methodological, theoretical and ethnoarchaeological papers are welcome.
https://www.e-a-a.org/eaa2019

This paper talks about the archaeological site of Eirós, Galicia (Spain) and its settlement during the Middle Paleolithic until the late occupations of the Upper Paleolithic. It is a site of first importance to know the Paleolithic of the peninsular northwest sector, specifically the Middle and Upper Paleolithic levels. The cave has a wide stratigraphic sequence that not only gives us information about the occupations and habitats of the Mousterian societies of this territory, but also a means that already underwent profound transformations and that we can document, for example, through the abundant remains of fauna. In addition, the cave has manifestations of rock art, of great importance and exceptionality in its environment.

Contents:
Preface
About my first paper
About “Behaar Al Anwaar”
Divine Project for Adam Creation
An Important notification
An enlightenment on the theory
Who are Homo Sapiens?
THEY ARE NOT HUMAN!
The Jinn (Homo Sapiens) in Koran
Notification
Some important facts in the first 13 verses of “Jinn chapter” of Koran
Homo Sapiens’ Specifications in the view of Science and knowledge
Scientific justification of the theory
An important advice
New discoveries, new enlightenment
These Ancient Elongated Skulls ARE NOT HUMAN
Extremely bizarre skulls
The Star child Project
DNA is the math of biology
Nephilim Skulls Found In Mexico
About the Author
Some of documentary links in this case

This study investigates where the Xujiayao juvenile (I(1) and C(1) ) fits into the array of perikymata distribution patterns found within the genus Homo. In addition to the I(1) and the C(1) of the Xujiayao juvenile, this study includes samples of early Homo (H. rudolfensis and H. erectus), Neandertals, early modern humans (Qafzeh), and recent modern humans from Southern Africa, Newcastle (UK), and North America (Inupiaq, AK). Three sets of analyses were undertaken, including a comparison of percentage of perikymata in the cervical half of the crown, repeated measures analysis of the percentage of total perikymata in each decile, and canonical variates analysis using both total perikymata number and the percentage of perikymata in the cervical half of the crown. The I(1) and C(1) of early Homo and Neandertals have a lower percentage of perikymata in the cervical half of the crown than modern human samples. Repeated measures analysis reveals clear distinctions in the distribution of ...

The present study describes a new juvenile hominin mandible and teeth and a new juvenile humerus from level V of the GP2 gallery of Cova del Gegant (Spain). The mandible (Gegant-5) preserves a portion of the right mandibular corpus from the M1 distally to the socket for the dc mesially, and the age at death is estimated as 4.5-5.0 years. Gegant-5 shows a single mental foramen located under the dm1/dm2 interdental septum, a relatively posterior placement compared with recent hominins of a similar developmental age. The mental foramen in Gegant-5 is also placed within the lower half of the mandibular corpus, as in the previously described late adolescent/adult mandible (Gegant-1) from this same Middle Paleolithic site. The Gegant-5 canine shows pronounced marginal ridges, a distal accessory ridge, and a pronounced distolingual tubercle. The P3 shows a lingually-displaced protoconid cusp tip and a distal accessory ridge. The P4 shows a slightly asymmetrical crown outline, a continuous transverse crest, a mesially placed metaconid cusp tip, a slight distal accessory ridge, and an accessory lingual cusp. The M1 shows a Y5 pattern of cusp contact and a well-developed and deep anterior fovea bounded posteriorly by a continuous midtrigonid crest. Gegant-4 is the distal portion of a left humerus from a juvenile estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old at death. The specimen shows thick cortical bone. Although fragmentary, the constellation of morphological and metric features indicates Neandertal affinities for these specimens. Their spatial proximity at the site and similar ages at death suggest these remains may represent a single individual. The addition of these new specimens brings the total number of Neandertal remains from the Cova del Gegant to five, and this site documents the clearest evidence for Neandertal fossils associated with Middle Paleolithic stone tools in this region of the Iberian Peninsula.

Language seemingly evolved from changes in brain anatomy and wiring. We argue that language evolution can be better understood if particular changes in phasal and cross-frequency coupling properties of neural oscillations, resulting in core features of language, are considered. Because we cannot track the oscillatory activity of the brain from extinct hominins, we used our current understanding of the language oscillogenome (that is, the set of genes responsible for basic aspects of the oscillatory activity relevant for language) to infer some properties of the Neanderthal oscillome. We have found that several candidates for the language oscillogenome show differences in their methylation patterns between Neanderthals and humans. We argue that differences in their expression levels could be informative of differences in cognitive functions important for language.

What does it mean to be human? What makes us unique among all other organisms on Earth? Is it cooperation? Conflict? Creativity? Cognition? There happens to be one anatomical feature that distinguishes modern humans (Homo sapiens) from every other living and extinct animal: our bony chin! But does a feature of our jaws have actual meaning for our humanity? We want to talk about the top six discoveries of 2018, all from the last 500,000 years of human evolution, that give us more insight into what it means to be human. If you want to learn more about our favorite discoveries from last year, read our 2017 blog post!

Sergio Sergi was an Italian physical anthropologist. His studies dealt mainly with anthropology and human biology, though they ranged from primatology, to comparative anatomy, to anthropometry and to palaeoanthropology. Sergio Sergi is known for his interpretation of human evolution, seen as a succession of “cicli di forme” (shape cycles) referring to the shape of the skull. He was also in favour of a “pre-Neanderthal” hypothesis concerning modern human origins. His works in anthropology are acknowledged worldwide and they are still cited in the scientific literature, in particular his monographs on the skulls of Monte Circeo, Saccopastore 1 and Saccopastore 2. He expanded the traditional areas of anthropology by extending the research to all organic systems, including the limbs, the tegumental system, the muscles of facial expression, the mechanism of respiration of anthropoids, and with systematic research on the spinal cord of chimpanzee.

NANOGP8 is a human (Homo sapiens) retrogene, expressed predominantly in cancer cells where its protein product is tumorigenic. It arose through retrotransposition from its parent gene, NANOG, which is expressed predominantly in embryonic stem cells. Based on identification of fixed and polymorphic variants in a genetically diverse set of human NANOG and NANOGP8 sequences, we estimated the evolutionary origin of NANOGP8 at approximately 0.9 to 2.5 million years ago, more recent than previously estimated. We also discovered that NANOGP8 arose from a derived variant allele of NANOG containing a 22-nucleotide pair deletion in the 3' UTR, which has remained polymorphic in modern humans. Evidence from our experiments indicates that NANOGP8 is fixed in modern humans even though its parent allele is polymorphic. The presence of NANOGP8-specific sequences in Neanderthal reads provided definitive evidence that NANOGP8 is also present in the Neanderthal genome. Some variants between the re...

ii. The terminal Pleistocene is marked by the sudden reversal of several million years of continuous encephalization, when the cranial volume of humans abruptly began to plummet. The Upper Paleolithic (UP) witnesses the cessation of biological evolution and the onset of an evolutionary mode centered exclusively on culture. By adapting to their calibrated models of reality, archaic populations underwent rapid physiological/psychological transformations. It is contended that the UP ‘creative explosion’ illustrates the attempt to counter cognitive losses inherent in cumulative cultural evolution and incipient self-domestication.