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How the Neanderthals met their grisly end


Still Waters

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The mysterious disappearance of Neanderthals about 30,000 years ago has baffled scientists for centuries.

But now, according to a leading fossil expert, it seems the race may have met a rather grisly end.They were eaten by our ancestors, the modern humans.

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Um, fried chicken neanderthal, anyone?

I know, that's bad. XD

Sounds like there are (or are going to be) more than a few scientists in denial about this...

So our ancestors ate them, and? We also ate - and eat - all kinds of animal. Why should it be so much different that we ate Neanderthals? Even now people eat primates as bushmeat. I'm not seeing the shocker here.

Good find though, Still Waters :tu:

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I'd say that until there are more bones found with the same type of markings,this hypothesis is a load of manure.

Those markings may mean that he was in a fight or got murdered,or even was found already dead by someone who was starving. Who knows? There are a load of possibilities. But to claim that the whole race disappeared because of cannabalism is pretty idiotic for these researchers to say without having far more evidence that points to that type of conclusion.

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I'd say that until there are more bones found with the same type of markings,this hypothesis is a load of manure.

Those markings may mean that he was in a fight or got murdered,or even was found already dead by someone who was starving. Who knows? There are a load of possibilities. But to claim that the whole race disappeared because of cannabalism is pretty idiotic for these researchers to say without having far more evidence that points to that type of conclusion.

Until I hear what your credentials entail I will go along with what the researches have to say. I will point out that the extinction of the Neanderthal is not likely that we ate them to death, but that it did happen from time to time. It is also said that we mated with them and well that would explain a lot lol.

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But to claim that the whole race disappeared because of cannabalism

That isn't actually what it said.

Leader of the research team, Fernando Rozzi, of Paris's Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, said: 'Neanderthals met a violent end at our hands and in some cases we ate them.

Just putting that out there.

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It is highly likely that we cannibalized Neanderthals from the evidence found, but was it a determining factor in their extinction? I wouldn't think so without a lot more evidence being...well, evident. There were still many other factors including competition and climate change that ate away at their numbers (pardon the pun :D ). This is just one more piece of the puzzle IMO. :tu:

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Until I hear what your credentials entail I will go along with what the researches have to say. I will point out that the extinction of the Neanderthal is not likely that we ate them to death, but that it did happen from time to time. It is also said that we mated with them and well that would explain a lot lol.

It's only one researcher saying it,while others in the article say

'One set of cut marks does not make a complete case for cannibalism.'
and
'This does not prove we systematically eradicated the Neanderthals or that we regularly ate their flesh.'
.

Sorry,but the only evidence for this hypothesis is only one jawbone...and some teeth made into a necklace. Yes,cannabalism probably happened,but the chances of that being a/the major factor (which this article implies,not only with the headline but also with some of the article itself) in the decline and disappearance of the Neanderthal is not completely viable unless there is far more evidence to back this idea up.

That isn't actually what it said.

Just putting that out there.

The article implied it,especially with this statement:

But now, according to a leading fossil expert, it seems the race may have met a rather grisly end. They were eaten by our ancestors, the modern humans.

I'd say this is more of a case of a journalist who leaned towards sensationalism. The cannabalism is only one small possibility that led to the end of the Neanderthal,but it is more likely that they bred with the more modern humans and phased themselves out in that means...or that their scattered tribes died out due to competition for food sources.

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The article implied it,especially with this statement:

I'd say this is more of a case of a journalist who leaned towards sensationalism. The cannabalism is only one small possibility that led to the end of the Neanderthal,but it is more likely that they bred with the more modern humans and phased themselves out in that means...or that their scattered tribes died out due to competition for food sources.

Agreed, it started out with WE EATED THEM ALL but then when it actually quoted the experts, they were saying that it is a 'possibilty' and 'in some cases' it may have happened. Other possibilites.

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Should be noted they haven't found evidence that shows that modern humans and Neanderthal interacted in that part of Europe.

Which means it's as likely it was another Neanderthal that butchered the guy.

And, seeing as how they have been shown to have had a sense of religion, keep in mind that other cultures have practices or had practices where the body is butchered.

Seems they are jumping pretty quickly to modern humans being the cause, at least from what's presented in the article.

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Interesting, makes sense i guess......you get hungry....you eat whatever is available. I wouldnt have thought this would be widespread, but now i am just making assumptions :D

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I have no idea how large their population was at the time.But i don't think our ancestors went around eating them all the time.

There were probably various factors that led to their demise. Changes in climate, like bad winters, droughts,etc. These would also affect any animals that they might have used as a food souce, as well as any plant life they may have eaten. That there could have been violent conflicts between them and Cromagnan Man,aka Modern Humans for hunting grounds, water etc.yes.Especially if conditions were bad for food supplies.

Istill believe too that perhasp there were times when Modern Humans and Neanderthals could have mated.Perhasp there were skirmishes between them, and either Modern Humans or Neaderthals took women as prizes, and used them as slaves for sex or work,etc. Happend in the past in ancient and even more modern times, so why not then. Too bad there is no time machine we coiuld use to see what was going on then,so we could really know the truth.

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Yes, modern humans and neanderthal could have mated but I doubt that modern humans would've been able to war.. modern humans hunting solo or in small groups while the neanderthal hunted in large packs.

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'One set of cut marks does not make a complete case for cannibalism.'

I quote this statement again as it says volumes about the scientific community in general; filling in gaps, assuming, jumping to conclusions, trying to pass theory along as fact, etc..Par for the course I say. It's all about the $$$ and who can get it to keep their program going. I'm not saying this is the norm but it's pretty prevalent IMO.

It's unfortunate as there have been some great scientists that have done some great work in our history.

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I just want to point out that cannibalism is the wrong word. since neanderthals and humans of that time werent the same species, thus all of you using "cannibalism" to describe us eating them (if that did in fact happen) is in fact wrong

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Correct. The proper term would be ‘exocannibalism’.

Very true, and welcome to U.M.

The demise of the Neanderthals is probably due to the fact that we Homo sapiens (wise human) developed a more complex brain and well, we just out smarted the Neanderthals to the point they couldn't compete. Plus I'm sure there were a few BBQ's as nasty as it sounds.

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I believe that I read somewhere that the neanderthals never had a big population, and when modern humans began to move into the area, they quickly outnumbered the locals. Killing them out would not have been hard. Species with lower birth rates, longer gestation and possibly with less tool use, would have been supplanted pretty easily.

Estimates that I have seen say there was never more then 200,000 neanderthals alive at one time, and possibly never more then 100,000.

Edited by DieChecker
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While the topic is very interesting, the article is terrible. Scientists have not been baffled for centuries - we have not known of neanderthals for that long. "It is believed that the flesh was eaten by humans and the teeth used to make a necklace." Believed by whom? Etc., Etc.

The article does not contain enough information to come to any conclusion. All we can deduce from this article is that a jawbone ascribed to a neanderthal was found with cut marks similar to those made when butchering deer and other animals with stone tools. Couldn't this just as likely been the result of butchering by another neanderthal? The article also contains no explanation as to why they have arrived at the conclusion that the teeth were used as a necklace. Was the necklace found? With Homo Sapiens remains?

It appears to me that the sensationalization was on the part of the journalist and not the scientists quoted in the piece (although Mr. Rozzi does appear to engage in a bit of speculation if the journalist can be believed).

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Very true, and welcome to U.M.

The demise of the Neanderthals is probably due to the fact that we Homo sapiens (wise human) developed a more complex brain and well, we just out smarted the Neanderthals to the point they couldn't compete. Plus I'm sure there were a few BBQ's as nasty as it sounds.

Actually, evidence points to Neanderthal being as advanced mentally as our ancestors were.

However, as the Ice Age ended, most of the large fauna went extinct, which is where Neanderthal got their food.

Our lighter, quicker ancestors were able to outpace Neanderthal in terms of food gathering, especially since they required less of it.

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Actually, evidence points to Neanderthal being as advanced mentally as our ancestors were.

However, as the Ice Age ended, most of the large fauna went extinct, which is where Neanderthal got their food.

Our lighter, quicker ancestors were able to outpace Neanderthal in terms of food gathering, especially since they required less of it.

So you are saying we evolved faster than the Neanderthal hence there demise, I agree ;)

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The most appalling thing about this is the implication that we couldn't recognize them as fellow humans. But that's not really accurate because homo sapiens have eaten each other from time to time and been fully aware that they were eating a human.

Given the fact that cannibalism is a reality, why should it be surprising that some people ate Neanderthals?

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Given the fact that cannibalism is a reality, why should it be surprising that some people ate Neanderthals?

My sentiments exactly.

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Given the fact that cannibalism is a reality, why should it be surprising that some people ate Neanderthals?

Comes as no shock to me, as I would eat you in a heart beat LOL to stay alive ;) Ever see the Movie Alive, cool movie...

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This isnt suprising, I mean we drink animal milk, and if you really stop and think about where milk comes out of, its rather disgusting...not that Id drink human milk with my cereal mind you :rofl:

If it exists, humans have eaten, or tired to eat it.

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