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VOLUME 11, ISSUE 6 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 Inside -- ChallengingChallenging thethe tenetstenets ofof mainstreammainstream scientificscientific aagg e e n n d d a a s s - - We at PCN want to thank everyone for making our 10th Anniversary Issue (Issue #61, P A G E 2 September-October 2019) such a success and we thank everyone for writing us. news: As most now realize, founding member and central figure of the Pleistocene Coaltiion, Dr. Vir- Keeping these re- markable though ginia Steen-McIntyre’s, recent stroke and other illnesses have become a concern for all those enigmatic people who know her and work Readers were taken by surprise with Tim Holmes’ up front with her as as for our ‘ dispersals via natural floating readers. The loss of her Tom Baldwin platforms, Part 1 ’ last issue. crucial roles as writer, In contrast to presumed ocean P A G E 4 travel via sailing or paddling scientific advisor, core 10 years ago in PCN manmade watercraft Holmes PCN editor, writer organ- From comparing aerial Dr. Virginia Steen- suggested a third way has izer, etc., while she recov- views of the Middle East with South McIntyre’s first been downplayed in anthro- ers has also added to our A natural pumice raft African cir- In Their Own Words pology and readers re- other editors’ responsibili- cles over column sponded, asking, “Why is this idea not better ties and difficulty in keep- known?” Holmes is still working to finish Part 2. 6,000 miles Virginia Steen-McIntyre ing up. As an all-volunteer away to pro- staff we are doing our viding brief P A G E 5 We can’t best to maintain the overviews of Putting megalithic overstate venue and appreciate your concrete- sites into Paleo- how unex- support both publicly and making ancient cultures and lithic contexts, pected for behind-the-scenes. Here the 12,000-year old origins Baalbek, Part 2 : mainstream of the ‘Paleolithic swastika’ are a few of your com- Rockey Whipkey brings Enigmas of con- anthropology are the 50,000-year ments not yet posted on old profound technological discov- unexpected perspective to struction our homepage: eries at Denisova , Siberia. the famous megalithic site Rockey Whipkey They show the longtime doctrine that Paleolithic “Your excellent work is of Baalbek, Lebanon, which he visited in 2018. P A G E 8 people were not quite us needs to be overhauled much appreciated.” if not discarded altogether. Genetic scientists See Whipkey p.5 . Member news and are now asking what might the have “Beautiful. Superbly done!” other info looked like? See Baldwin p.2 . “Congratulations on your

Our readers, Tim 10th Anniversary Issue. Holmes, Virginia Steen- Engineer and rock researcher, I found every article of McIntyre, John Feliks Ray Urbaniak , continues to interest and valuable to intrigue PCN readers with compel- my own research.” P A G E 9 ling evi- dence and “Really great stuff!” Giant ground sloths perspective “No doubt, very percep- and rethinking the regarding life expectancy of tive. Presses it home.” Native American prehis- pictographs tory. This issue, Urbaniak “Let me congratulate you on Ray Urbaniak continues his rare animal your successful publication depictions theme, this of valid information of great In PCN 10 years ago P A G E 1 2 time, with evidence for wealth in the science and Along with other compelling Dissecting a pre-extinction portrayals geophysics of the Pleistocene.” articles in woolly mammoth of the giant ground sloth our Issue #2, and mammoths. See Pleistocene image We hope you enjoy Urbaniak p.9 and p.12 . Coalition Ray Urbaniak PCN #62! founding member, Dr. Readers have been enjoying the online kudos section of our homepage. P A G E 1 4 Virginia Steen- Some, however, have found the amount almost overwhelming and hard to believe The Impact of Fos- McIntyre such feedback can exist for a publication challenging mainstream sils , searchable text, wrote her first consensus—such as what they were taught via media, school, or ‘In their own words’ column. Installment 1 university. Lifelong connections to outright false or debatable infor- This is where she regularly mation taught as fact are hard to break. That is why at PCN we rec- John Feliks exposed how the mainstream ommend teaching critical thinking skills to children at an early age. P A G E 1 7 gets so tangled up trying to reconcile “facts” with their References for The In Issue #61 , the abstract and brief background were provided predetermined beliefs that the Impact of Fossis , for a published paper called The Impact of Fossils—about how early irony or understatement can Installment 1 could have been influenced by fossils—and how the paper was be unbearable. Here research- blocked by competitive researchers promoting low intelligence in early peoples. John Feliks ers essentially say, “Despite Comments from well-known experts were provided to show the censorship did not the facts, we still believe reflect objective opinion. This is the first main-text installment. See Feliks p.14 . what we believe.” See p.4 .

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 6 P A G E 2

Denisovan news: Keeping these remarkable yet enigmatic people up front By Tom Baldwin

“This time it In order to help correct our viruses cannot is a jaw , longtime erroneous picture copy thus ren- of Paleolithic people , it is dering them and the man- important to keep in mind immune to vi- just how unexpected ral-caused dis- are the 50,000-year old eases. discoveries at Denisova Cave, Siberia. Another group of scientists was It wasn’t that long ago studying which groups of people called genes do what, Fig. 2. Artistic rendering of a young female Denisovan “prehistoric,” now more like determining based on DNA analysis. Maayan Harel ( PCN crop). commonly referred to eye color, skin as “Paleolithic,” from tone, (or its Like” ( New Scientist , Sept. 19, to Nean- lack), etc. The day may 2019) containing challenges derthals were thought come when they can take a by such as anthropologist of as not quite us . Due sample of one’s DNA, put it John Hawks at the University to the needs of the pre- through a computer and use of Wisconsin-Madison. vailing paradigm, Paleo- it to make a picture of what lithic people were pre- a person looks like. Work It is interesting to note, sumed to be much less along those lines is, in fact, however, that since the pic- intelligent and sophisti- being done today only the ture came out another cated. Many readers of main- subject isn’t modern people Denisovan bone has been dible is like stream science continue to but one of our ethnic ances- found. This time it is a jaw what the first hold this view even though tors, the Denisovans. bone, and the mandible is the actual evidence as like what the first group of I’ve regularly empha- The Denisovans are both the researchers predicted in sized in PCN doesn’t newest and most interesting eight out of nine points. support the idea. This is branch on our collective fam- one reason I like to ily tree or genealogy. So, * * * there is a great deal of curi- remind our readers of Every archaeologist is what this group of peo- osity as to what they may have looked like. anxious to be the first to ple were capable of, find a complete or nearly their exquisite jewelry The challenge of creating a complete Denisovan including artistic-quality physical likeness of the skeleton. The problem is and bracelets and Denisovans when all we that of finding any skeleton sewing needles of a have to go on are a few as early man did not leave technological design bone fragments and teeth many for us to locate. Sec- equal to that in use initially seemed impossible. ond, in most of the we today ( Fig. 1 ). This is However, scientists, using do have, the DNA has de- the most important DNA from those sources graded to the point of being aspect of the Denisova compared them with hu- useless for sequencing. Cave discoveries. man and chimpanzee DNA. Denisova Cave where the Two new items our In the process they came majority of Denisovan DNA readers might find up with a likeness of how has been found, is located in of interest they think the average Siberia and is quite cool. In Denisovan might have ap- fact, the cave’s year-round The first deals with peared ( Fig. 2 ). average temperature is in Denisovan DNA. It is the 30’s on the Fahrenheit Fig. 1. Reminder of the star- astounding what scien- Despite how appealing, right scale. It is like a refrigerator tlingly-modern and sophisti- tists can do with DNA up, we’ve got to note that inside and that is what has cated quality of 50,000-year old other scientists decried the Denisovan and art. today. Just yesterday preserved the DNA in the I was watching a story image and the scientific work bones found there. on the television program 60 that went into its construction. group of re- Minutes where they were One article, in fact, was ti- Excavations at Denisova experimenting with changing tled, “This Is Almost Certainly Cave, however, have located searchers Not What Denisovans Looked predicted.” a person’s DNA to one that > Cont. on page 3

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Denisovan news: Remarkable and enigmatic people (cont.)

only a few pieces of bone and Homo sapiens. For instance, Russians have more things to teeth. As noted, the cave is they have less protruding reveal that they have found in cold and probably, even in brow ridges, and their brain Denisova Cave. Stay tuned and Denisovan times was a quite cases, while large, are low and we will try to keep you posted. inhospitable place to live. broad. These early people Based on this view it has have inner ears that are just TOM BALDWIN is an award-winning “This is been speculated the human like those of . author, educator, and amateur one reason remains found archaeologist I like to in the cave are living in Utah. not actually He has also remind our worked as a those of cave readers of successful ‘residents,’ but newspaper what this of the well- columnist. group of gnawed re- Baldwin has people mains of been actively Denisovans involved with were ca- killed by hyenas the Friends of pable of, Calico and dragged (maintaining their ex- into the cave the controver- quisite to be eaten. sial Early Man Site in Barstow, jewelry It must have California) since including been a tragic the early days existence for Fig. 3. Xuchang 1, China, skullcap and a partial crania found in when famed artistic- them. To have 2007 by archaeologist Zhan-Yang Li. It had a huge braincase with a anthropologist quality the skill and volume of 1800 cubic centimeters which is on the large size even Louis Leakey for Neanderthals. They have other characteristics that separate was the site'’s beads and know-how to them from both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. Could these be produce the excavation bracelets Denisovans? Image from, “100,000 Year-Old Skulls Shed Light On Director (Calico fantastic beads, The Origins Of Modern Humans.” Asian Scientist. March 6, 2017. and sew- is the only site bracelets, head in the Western ing nee- gear, and advanced tech- Could these be Denisovans? Hemisphere which was exca- dles of a nologies we have discussed The Chinese would like to vated by Leakey). Baldwin's techno- in previous articles and yet think so, but they have yet recent book, The Evening and lead a life likely to be ended to extract any DNA from the the Morning, is an entertaining fictional story based on the true logical de- any time by a pack of hye- skulls that can be tested, so sign equal story of Calico. Apart from being nas. We are fortunate to live there is no proof. one of the core editors of Pleisto- when and where we do. to that in The author of an article cene Coalition News, Baldwin has use to- Sorry if we got a little off published 37 prior articles in PCN titled, “Human Skull Fossils focusing on H. erectus and early day.” track there. So then, back to from China Have Surprising man in the Americas. His articles the search for a Denisovan Traits.” Discover, March 2, on the Denisovan sophistication skeleton. The Chinese have 2017) writes the following enigma include: Denisovan a candidate or two. about the Chinese skulls: bracelet: Advanced technological skills in early human groups is Back in December of 2007, “It’s not yet clear what this still resisted (PCN #35, May-June Chinese archaeologist Zhan- unique trait potpourri means 2015), Those pesky Denisovans Yang Li, found a rounded for the bigger picture of hu- (PCN #43, Sept-Oct 2016, our skull cap in the bottom of his man evolution. It does, how- 7th Anniversary Issue), and dig at Xuchang site in China. ever throw one more monkey Update and review of 'modern Over the next six years he level' Denisovan culture c. 40- wrench in the old school "Out 50,000 years ago (PCN #50, and his team found 45 more of Africa" belief that our spe- Nov-Dec 2017), and Denisova pieces that when put to- cies did all its evolving on Cave, Siberia: Art, craftsman- gether like a jigsaw puzzle that continent before setting ship, and telling DNA (PCN #60, yielded two partial crania foot on other continents. July-August 2019). (Fig. 3). One crania, called Instead, Xuchang 1 and 2 Links to all of Baldwin’s articles Xuchang 1, had a huge brain seem to bolster the Regional on Calico, H. erectus, and many case with a volume of 1800 Continuity Model, which sug- other topics can be found at: cubic centimeters. This is gests that modern humans notable especially because it evolved regionally, from one http://pleistocenecoalition.com/ index.htm#tom_baldwin is on the upper end of brain or more .” size for modern human and even for Neanderthals. So, then, things continue to move fast on the Denisovan The skulls have other char- track and continue to throw acteristics that separate ‘monkey wrenches’ into many them from Neanderthals and longtime cherished beliefs. The

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10 years ago in Pleistocene Coalition News Dr. Virginia Steen-McIntyre’s first “In their own words ” column (PCN #2, November-December 2009)

In their own words “However, to reiterate the Virginia started her “In findings of the Texas A&M their own words” column In Current Research in workers, these comparisons (http://pleistocenecoalition.com/ the Pleistocene ,* where do not imply that pre-Homo #virginia_steen_mcintyre ) to show they discuss heavily sapiens were in the Americas. the discrepancies and irony stained, permineralized often seen in mainstream writ- skull fragments from the *From Current Research in ings regarding early peoples Guadalajara area of the Pleistocene 17, 2000: in the Americas. western Mexico, we find pp. 95–96. the following: ______This instalment is one from a large archive of materials “One Chapala super- Virginia ciliary arch deserves has assem- specific mention due bled since to its large size [ PCN the days of #62 addition, Fig. 1 .] Hueyatlaco/ Valsequillo, “Studies by Solórzano Mexico, show the bone re- suppres- sembles that in ar- sion start- chaic Homo sapiens at “However, ing 50 Arago, . In an years ago. to reiter- unpublished 1990 re- The instal- ate the port, Texas A&M oste- ment that ologists suggest the Fig. 1. Photograph of possible archaic human supraorbital findings of followed brow’s thickness and ridge, Chapala Basin, Mexico. Photograph courtesy of the Texas featured robustness comparable Frederico Solorzano. From privately-sent Valsequillo ar- chaeology archive files from Virginia Steen-McIntyre (dated the sup- A&M to those of KNM-ER March 2006 revised and August 2009 revised). pressed workers, 3733 (African Homo Caltran’s erectus ). [ PCN #62 ad- these mastodon dition, Fig. 2 .] compari- butchering sons do “Our measurements site (now not imply show the central torus renamed thickness is 13.3, com- “Cerutti”) that pre- pared with 8.5 mm for which by Homo KNM-ER 3733; the lat- that time, sapiens eral torus thickness is 2010, had were in the 11.5 versus 9.0 mm not yet been (Rightmire 1998). brought to Americas.” the public “Thus for the sake of even after comparison, the brow is Fig. 2. Possible human supraorbital ridge inset (dark brow 15 years. more like that of in upper left) in a cast of a European Homo erectus skull, PCN con- Skull XI demonstrating how it might be derived from a similar speci- tinued (Asian Homo erectus), men. Photograph courtesy of Frederico Solorzano. From promoting with a central torus privately-sent Valsequillo archaeology archive files from the Cal- Virginia Steen-McIntyre dated 2006 and 2009. thickness of 13.2 +/- trans site mm; lateral torus thick- until it was ness was not measured Complete reference finally taken up by PCN- (Rightmire 1998). Modern reading archaeologists and the brows are too diminutive to Irish, JD, SD Davis, JE Lobdell, and FA Solórzano. 2000. Prehis- site was published ‘22 years’ allow these measurements. toric Human Remains from Jal- after it’s discovery (see the “The brow also shows pneu- isco, Mexico. Current Research in definitive history in our Cerutti the Pleistocene 17: 95–96. matization along its length. Mastodon Site Special Issue ).

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

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Putting megalithic sites into Paleolithic context:

Baalbek, Part 2 , Enigmas of construction

By Rockey Whipkey

“It gave me In Part 1 ( PCN #61, Sept- Oct 2019), I introduced the the immedi- famous megalithic site of Baalbek, Lebanon. The site features massive 1,000-plus ton quarried stones which, even today, are a complete mystery as to how they were transported and placed. It is also not known who did the oldest megalithic work or when. Fig. 1. The region surrounding Baalbek using the Google Earth Timeline Today, Baalbek sits over- . Screenshot by the author, 2018, of what appear to be ancient looking the Beqaa plain (also habitations. It is very interesting how much these resemble the ate sense known as Bekaa , Biqâ or Be- caa). The geology of this area mysterious stone circles of . Left Inset: Helicopter the massive shows its possible histories photo of one such South African Trilithon stretching back beyond the site taken by Michael Tellinger. stones were Pleistocene age of 2.8 million Right Inset: Detail from the years ago. Within the last above Google Earth “mideast” picture in negative to bring out details 1–5 million years this making it easier to compare with Tellinger’s South African photo. region has undergone what is called uplift . The believed by some to have once The uplifts created the Lebanon affected land mass— been much closer to the lake. Mountains. The mountains then which once lay under sea created a ‘weather shadow’ water —rose and created A useful online tool very similar to that of the the Lebanon Mountains. Map source: Using the innovative Google Sierra Nevada region of the middleeasteye.net After such an uplift event Earth Timeline tool one can see California and Nevada bor- large bodies of water how many archaeological sites ders in the USA. These types already in would have remained on the around the world were laid out of mountain ranges that run place long now-created plain. One can and how they appeared in the north and south—and usually created from an uplift before the clearly see the ocean con- past. Not all locations are nections at either end of the accessible with this tool. How- event—apparently reduce Romans… Beqaa Plain on any area map ever, it’s potential is high and the east side annual rainfall arrived… today. In fact, the name one can also observe ancient while capturing the oceanic and then ‘Beqaa,’ is the Arabic plural of habitations on a scale I am moisture on their western slopes. Today the Beqaa saw how ‘buqaah,’ meaning a place with not sure people have studied stagnant waters, and there before. Fig. 1 is a Google Earth Plain, which lies east of the convenient is evidence of ocean waters screenshot of the region. I no- Lebanon Mountains, collects it would be having covered the Beqaa ticed an uncanny resemblance an average rainfall around to just build Plain in the geological past. to the stone circles of South 22 inches while the Lebanon Mountains capture on its their Jupiter Africa such as those researched This information seemed by Michael Tellinger and others. western slopes an accumu- temple on worth exploring further and lation of snow fall that can top of I wondered if Baalbek could, Back to the idea of Baalbek often exceed 3 ft. them.” at one time, have been con- as a possible one-time sea- structed to serve as a sea- port, after any disaster in Of course, water levels port of some kind when the the last 3 million years the change periodically over water was deeper or at dif- area most certainly would time. According to circum- ferent distances from the continue to be highly fertile stances they may become site. Although perennially and, later, for lucrative trade predictably higher or lower. controversial, the megalithic once a location redeveloped. In cultures such as Baalbek site of Tiahuanaco in Also, there were, and still are scientific observers no which is presently two miles usable waterways linking many doubt learned to keep track above sea level and c. 12 of the areas within the of the changes including miles from is Beqaa Plain today! > Cont. on page 6

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Putting megalithic sites into Paleolithic context, Part 2 (cont.)

making astronomical obser- historical details could have pillars—are made from these “While swas- vations that helped to re- been preserved in religious same types of concretions tika are, in- establish when seasonal oral traditions, myths and and were not carved from deed, found balances occurred. legends, or works of art. solid stone as many might believe. After seeing the piece Who created in person, I have no doubt the concrete that it is a pile of conglomer- at Baalbek? ate concrete extrusions which In mainstream are either tests or errors! archaeology the Still, the question remains, why Romans are given should we presume the use of the historical right concrete automatically means of ownership over Roman construction? The Egyp- this entire Baal- tians and Minoans, for example, bek platform millennia before the Romans despite notable used also such material as well. incongruities (see my Part 1 ). The The Paleolithic swastika Romans did have a wide range of Questioning the presumption skills that included of Roman concrete at Baalbek the use of con- also concerns some of the crete such as bas ornamentation. used at Baalbek in One such presumption worth temple construc- questioning is automatic Fig. 2. Example of concrete work at Baalbek. Though the swastika pattern was tions. Concrete, attribution to the Romans for known in Rome it is older in Asia and 12,000 years in Ukraine. It is found around no doubt, the presence of ‘swastika’ the world including in Native American cultures. Photo: Rockey Whipkey 2018. provided for patterns at easier as- the site such sembly of the various as seen in in Rome the These observations could then Figs. 2–3. be used for continental travel facades like I mentioned design is in my first article. While swas- tika are, in- The con- deed, found crete mass in Rome the of what design is looks like cosmopolitan stone in and infinitely Fig. 2 is older. actually a pile of sev- The enigma eral very of Baalbek ancient and it’s possi- extruded ble begin- conglomer- nings being ate con- Pleistocene crete (see Part 1 and ‘mistakes’ reference to 12,000-year that have Fig. 4. Sophisticated been piled Pleistocene-age swastika- old Gobekli one upon like patterns from the site Tepe) is another of Mezin, Ukraine, carved complicated and left as into mammoth ivory by the swas- Fig. 3. Close-up of left hand side seen in Fig. 2. Photo: Rockey Whipkey, 2018. waste. I 12,000–18,000 years ago tika because photo- predating Roman the earliest variations by 10,000 are not Ro- cosmopolitan to calculate the surface ar- graphed these when I years. So, there is and infinitely eas or waterways available visited the site in 2018. nothing inherently man or even but older. ...the and basically do as we do Fig. 3 shows a different ‘Roman’ about the similar today in regional planning. angle and closer view of variants attributed to Paleolithic in earliest are… where they overlap on Romans at Baalbek. age ( Fig. 4 ). Paleolithic in If such occurrences took the left side. Notice the They date to place during prehistoric age… 12,000 conglomerated appearance 12,000 years old at Mezine, times at Baalbek or such as Ukraine, where the swastika years old.” of this material. It is perti- Gobekli Tepe, i.e. before nent to point out that many is part of an elaborate pat- writing systems were devel- of the construction materials oped, some geological or at Baalbek—including some > Cont. on page 7

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Putting megalithic sites into Paleolithic context, Part 2 (cont.)

tern carved into ivory figu- represents one of over 100 vey and, in fact, may never rines such as birds. symbols of the ancient god be dated with absolute cer- Vishnu. It is also considered a tainty. I would also include (See e.g., Hancar, F. 1939-40. sun sign and, in the Western an astro-archeologist to in- “There is an Zum Problem der Venusstatuet- unusual fea- ten im eurasiatischen Jung- Hemisphere, a symbol of luck terpret the local alignments paläolithikum. Praehistorische and prosperity among vari- which are found throughout ture, how- Zeitschrift 30-31: 85–156, Taf ous Native American tribes. these sites. I have no doubt these areas will contain astronomical viewpoints that no longer exist in today’s skies but which can help suggest possi- ble dates for when these sites were constructed. I mention these things as I recently viewed a documentary of a European where radar discov- ered the original en- trance. The different entrance appears 45 degrees out of the equinox entrance where the sun enters the dolmen and reaches the furthest point within the dol- men that is open to- Fig. 5. Enigmatic solid stone staircase at Baalbek suggesting tracks. Photo, Rockey Whipkey, 2018. day. Was this buried entrance open to an ever. Run- VII, p 127 and Taf VIII, p 129; True Baalbek antiquity Equinox at some distant time and Volkov, FK. 1909. Paleoli- in the past? There is a stairway located on a ning up and ticeskaya stojanka v Mezine. Tr down the XIV archeol sjezda v Cerigove, t hillside at Baalbek considered There are probably no easy staircase III, 1909; F Vovk, Paleoliticni part of the Temple of Mercury answers to these riddles. And znachidki s Mizeni . Zap Ukr nauk It was, at one time, carved into to this day Baalbek’s true are what tovaristva, k IV, as referenced steps from solid stone. There is identity is still elusive. appear to and discussed in many modern an unusual , however. papers and articles such as in Running up and down the stair- be tracks of White, John J., III. 2001. Ice Age case are what appear to be some kind Swastika from Mezin in Ukraine: Interpretation of a Basic Symbol tracks of some kind as though as though of Mankind. Midwestern Epi- they were created by they were graphic Journal 15: 73–78.) in concrete that later hardened ROCKEY W HIPKEY was educated in (Fig. 5 ). Perhaps they were created by They are generally believed the culinary , anthropology, intended as cart tracks. and archaeology and has a deep wheels in to date back to 12,000 years Surprisingly, I could not find interest in comparative religion, concrete ago. Not only is that firmly in any descriptions or commen- history, and early civilization. that later the Pleistocene and dating tary on this feature and won- Among diverse occupations contemporaneously with the der if such a feature is known Whipkey ran and assisted in hardened.” setting up lottery operations 12,000-year old megalithic anywhere else in antiquity. site of Gobekli Tepe, in Tur- and facilities for the states of key, as noted in my Part 1, It seems that to move forward Montana, Vermont, and New Hampshire. In addition to once but other experts such as in today’s world of prehistoric running for mayor of Helena— Dr. Olga Soffer, place the archeology will require the the historic capital of Montana— Mezine at 17,000–18,000 use of a reputable geologist Whipkey has been involved in years old or such as Dr. Robert M. Schoch. the politics of the city for many Age (Soffer et al. The His corrective interpretation years including as a historic “” : Textiles, of the geological wear on the preservation commissioner. He Basketry, Gender, and Sphinx was an outstanding use visited Baalbek in 2018 to com- pare popular writings with his of geology, though still dated Status in the Upper Paleo- own firsthand observations. lithic. Current Anthropology incorrectly, no fault of his own. 41 Aug-Oct. 2000: 533). It is likely these megalithic The swastika was traditionally locations will never be dat- stylized in Asia where it able without a geological sur-

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Member news and other info

Virginia’s health and timely fashion with each our Regarding Paleolithic Quick links to recent stroke circumstances while producing human dispersals via Pleistocene Coalition News . natural floating platforms main articles “I follow PCN re- We do our best to in PCN #61 : ligiously. I am answer sometimes In lieu of receiving Tim Holmes’ P A G E 2 very sorry for directly, sometimes Part 2 for this issue we can say Virginia Steen- Paleolithic dispersals in form letter and Part 1 garnered some antici- McIntyre’s via natural floating sometimes here in pated interest (as did the whole stroke. I empa- platforms, Part 1 the pages of PCN . 10th Anniversary Issue ). thize with her, Virginia has been Among several questions Tim Holmes recently having greatly missed by asked, one was why has the P A G E 5 had one of my many people who general public heard so little The unusual findings own. She is one regard her with the about this theory before? A of the Ameghino of my heroes.” highest esteem. couple of quick answers to that brothers, Argentina, would be, first, as we noted in –One of the many Part 1 Her general health the teaser, most researchers kind messages re- has been an ongo- Xavier Bartlett cently received from Link to PCN #61 tend to focus on the more ing concern to P A G E 8 our readers romantic notions of prehistoric those who know her people deliberately sailing or Ameghino brothers, We continue to or work with her. paddling their way across Part 2 receive messages John spoke with oceans on manmade water- Xavier Bartlett of concern about Virginia recently craft. The idea that some could P A G E 1 1 Pleistocene Coali- and she is doing tion founding mem- have floated between islands Putting megalithic much better. How- or even continents on mats of ber Dr. Virginia ever, along with sites into Paleolithic Steen-McIntyre. vegetation, etc., has been sug- contexts, Part 1 : catching up on gested often in recent decades Baalbek For new readers years of domestic but usually only in passing. Rockey Whipkey to PCN , Virginia, paperwork, she is at 83, is the last still unable to keep A second reason would be that P A G E 1 4 surviving original up with her PC the mainstream anthropology RELEVANT REPRINT USGS, NASA as- commitments and community does not have Pleistocene civiliza- sociates (during Link to PCN #60 1600 e-mail back- much interest in anything that tions: Gobekli Tepe, Apollo), etc., team log. So, please do could provide means for ear- Gunung Padang of professionals keep these things lier peoples to make it to the Chris Hardaker suppressed by the in mind if you have Americas other than the Bering anthropology com- P A G E 1 6 written Virginia but Strait because ancient dates in munity the past have not heard the Americas create instant Member news and 50 years for their other info many-methods back even after problems for the long-taught- Ray Urbaniak, Virginia dating of Hueyat- months. Good news as-fact Out of Africa theory. Steen-McIntyre, John Feliks laco, Mexico, early is that Virginia has I.e., they don’t want additional 24-hour live-in help means people could have made P A G E 1 7 man site to c. 250,000 years old. and several other it to the New World hundreds PCN 10th Ann. paging helpers so she is of thousands of years ago. totals all 61 issues Readers, cowork- well cared for. For P A G E 1 8 ers, and others other details see Finally, PCN readers know continue to express well from Dr. Virginia Steen- Update: Proboscidea, Link to PCN #59 the prior two is- concern about step bison, tattoos sues, e.g., Member McIntyre et al’ s 50-year sup- Virginia’s health news, PCN #60 , July-August pression story onward that Ray Urbaniak and her major backlog of 2019, and PCN #61 . the mainstream community P A G E 2 0 “1600” e-mails. Below is holds back any evidence sug- Sequel to the some paraphrased info from gesting early humans were recent PCN issues: “Since it now appears... Pleiades articles mainstream academics just as intelligent as modern Ray Urbaniak As our regular readers are going to have no choice humans and ocean travel of but to accept what you’ve P A G E 2 2 know, in our severely any kind does just that. An been saying all along… I just important takeaway we’ve Fossils & represen- reduced state without hope… it comes out… they emphasized at the Pleisto- tation—what ex- Virginia's crucial con- refused to give your ideas cene Coalition is that the perts really think tributions including as serious consideration and public deserves a picture that John Feliks writer, scientific advi- stood in their way. …History sor, manager of au- has a way of sorting it all breaks away from the dogma P A G E 2 5 thor submissions be- out...although vindication Paleolithic people were half- Australian fore sending to Layout editor, sometimes comes too late to be way-there links or that early depends on non- and her fine-toothed-comb enjoyed by the vindicated… I will migrations took thousands politicized research continue to spread the word of years. All evidence and copy editor skills we remain- about PCN at every opportunity.” Vesna Tenodi ing editors—all volunteers— reasonable theories need to –PCN reader” are not able to keep up in be put on the table. –jf

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 6 P A G E 9

Giant ground sloths and rethinking the life expectancy of pictographs

By Ray Urbaniak Engineer, researcher, and preservationist

An April 1, 2019, article for the University of Exe- ter in England titled “Major new study will rewrite history of human coloniza- “It is tion of South Amer- impor- ica” states that the Americas were colo- tant to nized sometime clarify between 25,000 that and 15,000 years Fig. 1. Pictograph depiction of an apparent giant ground sloth, Megath- al- ago. They go on to erium , in the South American Amazon dated to c. 12,500 years old. mention a picto- Photo, University of Exeter. though graph featuring an extinct the … giant ground sloth, Megath- link bones called dermal ossi- resemble anything other than pictograph erium , which they date at cles” embedded in their skin.” a long neck turtle. However, has been 12,500 years old ( Fig. 1 ). He goes on to tell the tale of a the photo doesn’t appear to naturalist who found a fresh have been taken straight on It is important to clarify that dated at piece of skin from one of but with the surface at an although the authors say the 12,500 years these animals hanging from angle perhaps compressing pictograph has been dated at it is possible a tree, which was apparently the image. Since I have 12,500 years it is possible found in a cave two years never seen a rock art side giant ground giant ground sloth in South earlier. Grayson further notes view image of a turtle I de- that the “indigenous inhabi- cided to see what the effect tants recorded the existence might be if I stretched the of a strange, ugly, huge hairy image vertically to compensate animal. It was also reported for the possible angle effect for that the Native peoples have mentioned similar animals to me, of whose existence their ancestors had transmitted Fig. 2. Photograph of an unusual animal pictograph the remembrance; and in recently taken in the Grand Canyon by photographer, the neighborhood of the Rio Bill Woodland. Used with permission. Negro [Patagonia], the aged cacique Sinchel, in 1875, pointed out the supposed lair of one of these animals.” Grayson further explained the Indians reported a strange creature with “long claws and a terrifying appearance, impossible to kill because it has a body impenetrable to Fig. 4. Compare sloth with Fig. 3. Fig. 3. Since Woodland’s photo of the enigmatic animal firearms and missiles.” pictograph appeared to have been taken at an angle a better sense of what the This ground sloth pictograph compressing the image I decided to try stretching it image would look like straight may indeed be 12,500 years vertically to compensate. The result was a greater on ( Fig. 3 ). The effect is that resemblance to the body of a giant ground sloth. old as they suggest. How- the body appears similar to that ever, it is also possible there of an Ice Age giant ground sloth America didn’t go extinct until are other—relatively recent— sloth in South (Fig. 4 ) without limbs (I have the end of the 19th century! depictions of giant ground sloth America did- featured Ice Age animal picto- in this area of South America. n’t go extinct On pages 67-68 in Donald K. graphs from the Grand Canyon until the end Grayson’s 2016 book, “Giant Recently, Bill Woodland (an in several other PCN articles). Sloths and Sabertooth Cats,” Emeritus Professor at EMU), It was the tail that primarily of the 19th he states that the Mylodant took a photo of an unusual caught my attention. century!” ground sloths were character- animal in the Grand Canyon ized by having “small, pebble- (Fig. 2 ). At first glance it doesn't > Cont. on page 10

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Giant ground sloths; life expectancy of pictographs (cont.)

Without the limbs, most peo- These perspectives are by no Dinosaur National Monument ple would just eliminate the means conclusive, but dating could have survived so long. “Dating of possibility that this repre- of the animal portrayed in the animal sented a giant ground sloth. Bill Woodland’s Grand Can- [Here are links to a few of That was my yon pictograph photo could my related PCN articles: Ice age animals in SW USA rock initial reac- give us a helpful indication art, continued: Another potential tion as well, as to whether it does indeed mammoth image (PCN #41, until I re- depict a giant ground sloth. May-June 2014); Intriguing images called that from the Shaman’s Gallery and there is a Life expectancy of picto- some possible conclusions, Part 1 tradition in graphs (PCN #32, Nov-Dec 2014); this area of Just how long can picto- depicting graphs survive? Pictographs various can be bleached by the sun, mammals chemically etched by smoke and birds and bird droppings, physi- without cally abraded by blowing limbs, e.g., sand, and eroded by wind Fig. 5 and and rain as well as by Fig. 6 . changes in temperature and Some of the humidity including freezing legless im- and thawing. Pictographs Fig. 5. Top: Legless elk or deer. Bottom: can also be covered by soot Boat shaped Big Horned Sheep depicted ages have from fires or the layer of without legs. Southwest U.S. Photos: been ex- Ray Urbaniak. plained by rock containing the image the different can be popped off by ex- portrayed in used such as found treme heat from fires. In addition to the above pic- Bill Woodland’s in ’s Kakadu Na- tional Park which is ex- tographs can also be at- Grand Canyon plained well in the following tacked by lichen, molds and pictograph excerpt from a December bacteria (e.g., Fig. 7 ). Insects such as mud wasps 25, 2014, Fig. 7. Lichen/mold attacking picto- article on and birds such as swallows graphs. Photo Ray Urbaniak. The Conver- can build nests on top of them. Rock surfaces con- sation web- Rarely-depicted Ice Age animals site titled, taining pictographs can even in U.S. cave art ( PCN #59, May- Pigments and fall off during earthquakes, June 2019); and Rock art re- Palettes from and sometimes layers just bels—breaking with tradition the Past: flake off over time. (PCN #57, Jan-Feb 2019).] Science of Indigenous I have done pretty extensive Certainly, the U.S. locations Art : research over the years re- are drier climates than those garding the cave pictographs in France. Still, the mere over- “There are of France. It is my under- hangs protecting the U.S. pic- cases in standing that the only sur- tographs are not the same as Kakadu of viving very old pictographs being deep in a cave to protect whole colors in that country are those them from the weather. I have falling off an that were painted deep in not inspected them first Fig. 6. Top and Bottom: Two types of image, re- that have a stable hand to see, for instance, if birds depicted without legs. Southwest sulting in, temperature and humidity they have a layer of U.S. Photos: Ray Urbaniak. for exam- and are not exposed to the that has formed over them. ple, birds elements. Any near I had concluded that some of photo could without legs. Some very old the entrances to the caves the Ice Age animal depictions paintings have survived for have disappeared. And there give us a help- weren’t coated with calcite thousands of years with are some pictographs in ful indication and that knowledge of them every detail seemingly in- caves that would certainly must either have been as to whether tact, such as those of the have vanished were they not passed down through oral it does indeed dynamic and others of covered by layers of natural tradition (or portable art) depict a giant that period. These paintings calcite to protect them. tend to be monochromatic then painted at a later date ground sloth.” , applied with haematite And, on the contrary, I have or that the animals survived that is both very fine and struggled with understanding much longer than is gener- non-responsive to humidity how some of the pictographs ally believed. or chemical alteration.” in the Grand Canyon and > Cont. on page 11

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VOLUME 11, ISSUE 6 P A G E 1 1

Giant ground sloths; life expectancy of pictographs (cont.)

“Also in in Fig. 8 shows a panel which Finnish pictographs being In some deep caves in France, has cut through up to 7,000 years old even with damp walls, you can PCN #60 … a layer of calcite. Had there though exposed to ‘extreme simply blow powdered red weather’ ( Fig. 10 ). ochre onto the surface and it will survive. Still, shallow What has given the Finnish pictographs such longevity is a clear layer of silicon dioxide, i.e. quartz, formed over the picto- graphs which has pro- tected them from the ele- ments. Quartz is much harder than calcite and is also clearer. (Calcite is made of calcium carbon- ate, a compound contain- ing calcium, carbon and oxygen atoms. Quartz is silicon dioxide, a com- Fig. 8. SW U.S. rock art panel showing petroglyphs cut pound with one atom of through a layer of calcite. Photo Ray Urbaniak. silicon and two atoms of been pictographs on this oxygen.) Still, there is a I discussed panel before the layer of major difference between a date of 7,000 years and support for calcite formed those picto- Fig. 10. 7,000-year old human figure one of 30,000. So, I am the possibil- graphs would have most preserved as a quartz-coated pictograph; likely survived. still cautious regarding the Suomussalmi, Finland. Wikimedia Commons. Australian dates. Dis- cussions of other chemi- caves and beneath over- cal reactions that might hangs are another matter. harden into protective coating layers as well as That brings me back to the ancient rock paintings color aspect and the quote preserved in more humid regarding the Australian environments worldwide, pictographs: can be saved for a more technical article later. “These paintings tend to be monochromatic red, Back to more ancient applied with haematite dates, of special interest that is both very fine and are pictographs discov- nonresponsive to humidity ered in tropical caves in or chemical alteration.” Fig. 9. Australian pictographs purported to be c. 30,000 years old. purportedly However, exposure to the elements for so long makes this Obviously, the quality of the extreme date unlikely. Brisbane Times , November 6, 2019. dating as much as 40,000 years old. These red ochre along with addi- tives such as bone marrow I recently read an article include fragments of picto- can create a stable red picto- ity that the about Australian pictographs graphs still present near the graph that can survive in which they say could be up to entrances to the caves. Nomadic harsh environments with or “30,000 years old.” However, Clovis people There are some pictographs without protective coating. one of the photos in the arti- in Alberta, Canada, that may have cle shows the pictographs near have survived because of a carried their the edge of a shelter and layer of calcite over them. RAY U RBANIAK is an engineer by apparently exposed to the artwork on They estimate the age at training and profession; how- elements (Rock art in Cape York ever, he is an artist and passion- their bodies only 500–1000 years, but I may have been made by the earli- ate amateur archeologist at in the form est Australians. Brisbane Times . think if they date the calcite heart with many years of sys- of tattoos.” 11-6-19) , Fig. 9 . These obvi- layer the pictographs may tematic field research in Native ously can’t be 30,000 years prove to be much older. American rock art of the South- old unless they had been west and other topics. Urbaniak Rock art in Libya follows a has written over 30 prior articles continuously over-painted. pattern similar to that of with original rock art photogra- In general, I dismissed the where some of the paintings phy for PCN . All of them can be idea of painted art exposed were made when the climate found at the following link: to the elements being so old was wetter and greener but until archaeological steward http://pleistocenecoalition.com/ is now arid desert. index.htm#ray_urbaniak Michael Griffin told me about

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 6 P A G E 1 2

Dissecting a woolly mammoth petroglyph image

By Ray Urbaniak Engineer, rock art researcher, and preservationist

About 12 years ago , Later still, I noticed when I first photo- what appeared to be graphed the SW Utah the eye . But even Heater bulge petroglyphs seen in Trunk fingers then I had some Fig. 1 , I recall be- doubts that it was ing highly intrigued really a woolly mam- by this portion of a moth. Then, recently larger panel. I felt Head dome (several years certain it was later), I read an arti- something impor- cle on woolly mam- tant. However, I moth trunk heaters didn’t have a clue Eye (“Did extinct woolly as to why that mammoths have might have been ‘heaters’ to melt or, in fact, what I snow in their was even looking trunks?” The Sibe- at. I just knew it rian Times, 24 Sep- was different from tember 2019). “I decided to any other petro- glyphs I had ever I decided to have have another another look at the photographed. (BTW, Fig. 1. The initial rock engravings that got my attention look at the all petroglyph photo- c. 12 years ago and proposed parts of left-facing mam- mammoth head and mammoth graphs in this article are moth —part of a SW Utah panel about 30 feet was surprised to find head and my own. Photos of ele- above ground. Enhancement on the following page. the image did indeed was sur- phants and llama are all Graphic aids: The Siberian Times . Photo: Ray Urbaniak. have a bulge in the open source images.) prised to portion of the ‘trunk’ corresponding with find the im- I also knew the panel was likely very old as the recent scientific age did in- findings. Again, see deed have a it was about ‘30 feet’ off the ground with Fig. 1. The left part bulge in the no apparent way to of the ‘trunk’ is hard portion of get to it anymore to discern as it ap- the ‘trunk’ (Fig. 2 ). In other pears to have been words, when it was over-pecked at a made it was probably later date. I provide at an easy access an enhancement on level. The landscape the following page. had to have eroded The upper section of or settled over a long the curved trunk period of time on the Fig. 3. Evenly appears slightly likely order of many curved trunk of bulging. If there modern elephant thousands of years. were not a bulge without bulge. Im- Believing the com- the trunk would ap- age: Public domain. plexity must have pear evenly curved meant something, I (Fig. 3 ). Only then correspond- would dig out my did I realize the two ing with the photos of this panel a finger-like projec- recent scien- few times per year to tions at the tip of tific find- try and see what I the trunk were dif- ferent from modern ings.” was missing. Finally, about 5 years later, I elephants which had realized the semi- made the trunk circle part at the top Fig. 2. General region of panel with proposed mam- harder to identify. looked like an ele- moth image about 30 feet above ground level with Note that the top phant’s trunk ! no apparent way to get to it. This suggests to me finger-like projection the image is quite old presuming it was engraved in Fig. 1 is longer Later I realized the when the ground was higher up. Photo: Ray Urbaniak. just as with the dome directly un- mammoth trunk derneath could be the head there could be a couple of from The Siberian Times . of a woolly mammoth. And atlatl darts in its throat. > Cont. on page 13

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Dissecting a woolly mammoth petroglyph image (cont.)

I still didn’t know what was taining representations of vation by many explorers going on in the lower 1/3 of both a llama and a mam- such as Columbus, cook, “Also, I say the photo until I saw an im- moth. Also, I say Magel- ‘extinct’ llama age of a young elephant with “extinct” llama because lan, etc., they are not that known to have various survived in natives North America ap- later than the peared end of the last com- ice age c. pletely 10,000–12,000 unaf- years ago. fected by With two extinct some- and, likely, con- thing temporaneous Fig. 4. Left: Lightly-outlined enhanced version of the SW Utah before petroglyph compared with, Right: a modern baby elephant. animals facing their each other I very because they its mouth open and a fat pink feel I have confirmation eyes are not known tongue sticking out ( Fig. 4 ). as to a general age for because the panel as it was so likely over far from 12,000 years their as well as ade- normal quate support experi- for my woolly ence. mammoth petroglyph dis- In con- section conclu- clusion, sions! I believe this The image of Fig. 7. Portrayal of an panel to the young extinct llama seems the include a Fig. 5. Left: Lightly-outlined enhanced version of the SW Utah mammoth (no petroglyph compared with, Right: a modern Asian elephant. most feasible interpreta- very old tusks) is easy tion of the animal de- detailed Next, I realized an accompa- for me to see picted on the left side of depiction to have sur- now, even though it vived in North nying image I had prior de- the SW Utah petroglyph of a was impossible for me panel. Petroglyph photo: America later termined to represent an young extinct llama with long fur to see initially, since I Ray Urbaniak. Llama woolly than the end was actually facing the im- never expected to see images: Public domain. mam- of the last ice age of the woolly mammoth! such a detailed image moth age c. 10,000– (Fig. 6 ). I provide a couple when I had never seen head and trunk. If it is what I believe it is, then it is very likely the only de- tailed depiction of a woolly mammoth head and trunk found in North America to date!

RAY U RBANIAK is an engineer by training and profession; how- ever, he is an artist and pas- sionate amateur archeologist at heart with many years of systematic field research in Native American rock art of the Southwest and other top- Fig. 6. Being preoccupied with the details of the ’mammoth’ image I didn’t notice til ics. Urbaniak has written over later it was facing what I had prior determined to be an extinct llama image! 30 prior articles with original rock art for PCN . All of them can be found at 12,000 years of extra images in Fig. 7 to anything like it before. The the following link: ago.” support my interpretation of experience reminded me of the “Ships not seen” obser- http://pleistocenecoalition.com/ the petroglyph panel as con- index.htm#ray_urbaniak

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VOLUME 11, ISSUE 6 P A G E 1 4

The Impact of Fossils A paper on Paleolithic fossil collecting and its possible influence on early humans, text pp. 109–111 By John Feliks

The Impact of Fossils INTRODUCTION systems.’ According to Taborin, on the Development of shells [including fossil shells] Based on discoveries made in represent one of the constituent “That the Visual Representation a occupation layer, elements in the ‘externalization Aborigines John Feliks. 1998. Rock Art Re- Leroi-Gourhan suggested that of ideas’ (1993 b: 212). observed search 15: 109–134. [Submitted the collecting of fossils by Ne- anderthal people represented In this work, I will offer per- 1995, 1997, spectives which support those 1998. See early evidence of an order of thought which transcended of Leroi-Gourhan, Oakley, PCN #61 White, Marshack, and Taborin. (Sept-Oct the everyday needs of survival (1964: 75). He also inter- However, I will approach the 2019) for subject from a different direc- the full story preted this collecting of fossils as one activity which might be tion; I will consider the act of of the pa- fossil collecting by prehistoric per, experts’ seen as a distant introduction to (1964: 69). people not only as a sign of responses higher intelligence, but also as to its sup- A decade or so later, Oakley an influence on such intelli- pression, began bringing attention to gence. I will discuss ways in and what Acheulian period artifacts which the mentality and crea- At the Permian-age seafloor diorama, this serial- which contained embedded tivity of early people may Field Museum of Natural History , Chicago. ized ver- The author’s lifelong study of fossils began within them large fossils in have been affected by the sion hopes c. age 8. Photo May 1962 by V. Feliks. central positioning. The central observation and collecting of to fulfill.] positioning of these fossils was fossils in prehistoric times. the result of careful knapping such fos- ABSTRACT The paper begins with fossil- The origins of visual representation by the makers of the imple- sils may ments as much as 250,000 based theories on what pre- have been debated primarily in ceded the first manmade rep- terms of human activity and psy- years ago (1971, 1973, 1981, be echoed resentations, collectively chology. This paper proposes that 1985). Hence, these artifacts in myths manmade representation was indicated not only that fossils termed the ‘natural represen- relating preceded by a natural, already had been collected at that re- tations theory.’ What distin- that ani- quite perfected representational mote time in human prehistory, guishes this theory from others system, the products of which were but also that they had received in the origins of representa- mals and observed and collected by early special treatment. Oakley con- tion debate is that it does not plants humans. The author suggests sidered such fossil-ornamented treat visual representation as were the following new hypotheses: stone as important a human invention , but rather as a human imitation of a pre- 1.) Fossils were a means by which markers in the emergence of ‘painted’ existing natural phenomenon human beings came to under- ‘higher thought’ (1981). on rock stand the concepts of ‘imagery’ already quite perfected and surfaces in and ‘substitution’ prior to the The idea that an awareness of variably developed. I propose creation of manmade images. fossils might reflect develop- that the human concept of primeval ments in human cognition ‘image’ as iconic representation times.” 2.) Humans evolved their own has re-emerged in the present containable in solid mediums forms of iconic visual representa- decade. White, for instance, was a development primed by tion (especially those in the me- considers the collecting of a critical cognitive realization dium of rock), having first been fossils by people imparted by fossils. made aware of various possibili- as one activity showing the ties via fossils. ‘glimmerings of symbolic repre- In Part II, I offer developmen- 3.) Many unexplained prehistoric sentation’ (1993b: 61). He has tal chronologies elucidating the artworks may be structurally also demonstrated that some of potential of fossils as stimuli in and proportionally accurate the earliest personal ornaments the transition from ‘natural’ to depictions of fossils . showing complex methods of ‘artificial’ representation. Here, I propose that humans evolved Because fossils are known production were made from throughout the world, the hy- fossils (1992, 1993a). Marshack their own forms of visual repre- potheses have cross-cultural (1991b: 57) suggests that the sentation after having first validity. Clinical studies offer the collecting and curation of stones been made aware of various potential of analogical testability. and exotics may have been possibilities via fossils. The ‘precursive to later depictive many similarities between fos- KEY WORDS sils and ‘rock art’ are explored. • Iconic recognition traditions.’ Taborin (1993b:211) • Depiction views the collecting of fossils In Part III, the ‘fossil depic- • Prehistoric art by pre- people as tions theory’ is presented. • Rock art sign a possible stage ‘prior to the • Fossil collecting elaboration of true sociocultural > Cont. on page 15

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The Impact of Fossils (cont.)

Here, I discuss the possible PART I fossils. Fossils ‘represent’ ani- representational base for mals and plants which were seemingly nonrepresenta- PRIMING THE D EPICTIVE M IND : once alive and may also be said tional art- AWARENESS OF FOSSILS AS to represent similar animals and works. In addition, I suggest plants which are still alive. PRECURSOR TO DEPICTION an alternative explanation for Fossil invertebrates and plants the representational base of The ‘natural representa- are even more complete and certain Neolithic– tions theory’ accurate as representations ‘schematic’ artworks. I offer than are the modern represen- “What dis- several comparisons of each Understanding imagery with- tations in photographs. I state out creating imagery tinguishes of these with possible fossil this for three reasons: (1) Many referents. In many cases, the fossils have the same three- this theory The making of iconic visual fossil taxa provided as refer- representations is one of the dimensional quality as their from others ents are known from the very most significant differences living counterparts. (2) Fossils in the ori- regions in which the rock art- between human beings and all are often the same size as their gins of rep- works were created. other living creatures. There is living counterparts. (3) Many no evidence that any other ani- fossils contain so much intricate resentation Before moving on to the body detail as to be virtual replicas of the text, I wish to make mal species has ever invented debate is such a device. Although some of the living forms themselves, two clarifications. Firstly, I will albeit, in a different natural that it does not be discussing the physical animals such as chimpanzees have learned to use representa- media . It is this very fact that not treat of depiction, how fossils exist in different media’ they evolved, or the cognitive tion, this has only been through visual repre- human teaching (see Russon, than living forms that makes processes by which they them ‘representations’ rather sentation as were applied to depiction; Bard, and Parker 1996; Gould and Gould 1994; Donald 1991; than undifferentiated exam- a human in- these issues I leave to oth- ples of living forms. vention , but ers. Secondly, I emphasize Roitblat 1987 for overviews that I am not positing an all- and references). But herein lies That modern people trained in rather as a encompassing theory, but a conundrum; modern human representation perceive fossils human imi- rather, just one logical and beings, themselves, are also as representations is exempli- tation of a very plausible perspective taught representation; they fied by terms such as ‘self- never ‘invent’ it on their own. pre-existing which should be explored for illustrating phenomena’ (Robin the sake of good science. Like 1992: 130). Other evidence natural phe- How, then, did mankind attain Davis (1986b: 515), I believe to an initial understanding of that the representational nature nomenon that ‘image making’ by hu- representation without the bene- of fossils is fully accepted in already man beings probably had fit of a teacher? A chronological modern society includes such many ‘unrelated’ origins. long-used phrases as ‘pictures quite per- distinction provides one possible Indeed, the ‘archaeological answer: humans do not first in the rocks,’ or ‘stories told fected and record’ as we know it indi- learn representation by creating by stone.’ This modern view variably de- cates that image making their own representations, of fossils is significant, in that veloped.” began and ended again and but, rather, through exposure to it forces us to consider, retro- again in many different geo- already-made representations . spectively, what effect fossils graphic locations. From this Mere exposure to representa- may have had on the prehis- perspective, I envision that tions (e.g., Hochberg and Brooks toric mind as yet uninitiated the last word on the origins 1962; Dirks and Gibson 1977) in representational thinking. of depiction will lend validity seems sufficient to teach human to all reasonable theories, as three levels of reality in one children that images of living moment well as demonstrate compati- things can exist in non-living bilities and potential interac- materials. This is not something “The sense produced by sym- tions between theories. they innately know, but some- bolism is not the conscious This paper is a broad, interdis- thing they learn through expo- sense of reason but the more ciplinary, secondary analysis sure. By analogy, if, in the natu- subtle sense of unconscious of the present data. Although ral world of prehistoric people, association between things theoretical, I believe that the there were images for which that are somehow assumed to perspectives presented herein there could have been no doubt be like” (Foster 1990: 536). as to the identity of their living warrant consideration by any- It is not uncommon to find referents, then the concepts of one sincerely seeking to un- living ferns growing right out of icon and referent could have derstand the mentality of our the ground which contains been learned via simple ob- prehistoric ancestors. If this fossils of their ancient prede- servation of the natural world. paper succeeds in stimulating cessors. In fact, when study- serious discussion on the sub- natural representations ing fossil ferns at many loca- jects treated, regional investi- tions, shadows from the living gations, clinical testing and The earth contains abundant, ferns are cast upon the rocks, new insights into ‘abstract ready-made examples of what and may be mistaken for the signs,’ then it will have ful- are, for all practical purposes, filled its purpose. complete representations— > Cont. on page 16

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The Impact of Fossils (cont.)

very fossils one is seeking. In tional art (Abrard 1948; Marshack 1997, etc.). When “By com- observing living ferns, fossil Fenelon 1951; Debelmas 1974; compared with the iconic accu- paring the ferns and shadow ferns side- Feyes 1975; Autran and Pe- racy of fossils, this ‘’ by-side, ancient man would terlongo 1980). The proposed looks very little like a human fossils he have sensed a connection be- fern/fossil experience may be being. A similar comparison is tween them. echoed in the fact that a few made with the naturally- He probably prehistoric cave paintings, formed Makapansgat cobble would have antler engravings, etc., in thought to have been recog- realized that France and Spain appear to nizable as a ‘face’ to australo- all three represent plants with fernlike pithecines (see Oakley 1981, are ferns, leaf patterns (Marshack 1991a: Bahn 1997, 1998; Bednarik though one 170–99; Bahn 1997: 156). 1998). If these two quite is soft and unique stone objects are ac- pliable; an- Well-preserved fossil ferns as cepted as iconic images rec- other, hard well as living ferns are also ognizable by Homo erectus and inflexi- known in many parts of an- (or archaic Homo sapiens ) and ble; and yet other early art region, Austra- , then it must another, lia (Laseron 1969, Whitehouse be admitted that abundant stone clearly visi- 1948). White (1990) provides objects which are virtual replicas ble, though photographs of Australian fern of living forms (fossil shells, physically and other plant fossils which ferns, etc.) would certainly have intangible. are so remarkable as to re- been recognizable by the same The critical semble paintings. That the hominids as iconic images. In point is that Aborigines observed such fos- this light, I suggest that prior all three sils may be echoed in myths awareness of the iconic nature could easily relating that animals and of fossils primed the capacity be viewed plants were ‘painted’ on rock for ‘mental projection’ of human simultane- surfaces in primeval times forms into oddly shaped stones. ously, thus (e.g., Lommel 1967: 146). Continued in PCN Installment 2* encouraging iconic recognition association. By such I suggest that the moment a Fig. 1. Living fern, fossil fern and fern experience, prehistoric person first ob- References for the 1998 pa- shadow observed simultaneously. the mind of served any well-preserved per up to this point only are on [Computer assistance from Shekinah early man invertebrate, plant, or fish the following page. This Install- Errington and Gerry Hermann, 1995.] could have fossil, he would have grasped ment 1 represents pp. 109–111 been opened the obvious visual association (near the end of p. 111) of saw in rock to the possibility of symbolic between the fossil and its the 1998 RAR publication. representation ( Fig. 1 ). 1 familiar living counterpart. In with living other words, he would have forms, Ferns (and other plants with had the most basic experi- *Installment 2 begins with: pinnate leaf patterns) have ence of noticing absolute early man long been common around similarity between two physi- “Palaeo-cognitive and ethno- would have the world. That Paleolithic peo- cal objects in two completely graphic analogy,” learned the ple observed such plants is different media of nature. By same les- demonstrated by archaeologi- comparing the fossils he saw “Potential clinical testing of the cal evidence dating as far back ‘natural representations theory,’” son that in rock with living forms, early as the Acheulian. At the site of man would have learned the “Indigenous myths suggesting modern Stoke Newington, England, for same lesson that modern an awareness of natural rep- children instance, there were found children learn when exposed abundant samples of the ferns resentation,” and learn when to photographs—iconic im- Osmunda regalis (‘Royal Fern’) ages of living things can exist “The physical evidence: Ob- exposed to and Aspidium Filix-mas which in non-living materials. servation and collecting of photo- had been collected by the site’s fossils during Paleolithic times” Credit to Paleolithic people for inhabitants (Smith 1894: 288- [includes references for in- graphs— recognizing the iconic nature 92; Keeley 1980: 164). Fern vertebrate fossils collected iconic im- of fossils cannot be withheld fossils are as common as liv- by Paleolithic people as far if we accept that an oddly- ages of liv- ing ferns in some places. They back as 250,000 years]. ing things have long been known from shaped stone from England (e.g., Phillips 1871). Berekhat Ram, , was can exist in In France, fern fossils are found comprehensible as a ‘human non-living not far from Aurignacian sites figure’ to Acheulians (see materials.” containing early representa- Goren-Inbar and Peltz 1995,

1 For more on shadows and the origins of representation see Oakley 1964: 129-30; Carrier 1984, 1986. For more on ambiguity of perception and the origins of representation see Davis 1986, Bednarik 1994a: 42.

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References for The Impact of Fossils first PCN installment only

Abrard, R. 1948. Géologie de la Europe . pp. 80–90. D. Reidel beginnings of man’s first France . Paris: Payot. Publishing Company, Boston. art, symbol and notation . Autran, A., and J-M Peterlongo Foster, M. L. 1990. Symbolic origins Moyer Bell Limited, N.Y. 1980. France: Introduction and transitions in the Palaeo------1991 b. A reply to Davidson à la géologie du Massif Cen- lithic. In P. Mellars (ed.), The on Mania and Mania. Rock tral . Paris: 26th Interna- emergence of modern humans: Art Research 8: 47-58. tional Geological Congress. an archeological perspective. ------1997. The Berekhat Ram Bahn, P. G. 1977. Seasonal mi- pp. 517–539. Cornell Univer- figurine: a late Acheulian gration in South-west France sity Press, Ithaca, New York. carving from the Middle “That the during the Late Glacial Goren-Inbar, N., and S. Peltz. East. Antiquity 71: 327–37. Aborigines Period. Journal of Archaeo- 1995. Additional remarks on Phillips, J. 1871. Geology of logical Science 4: 245–57. the Berekhat Ram figurine. Oxford and the Valley of observed ------1997. Journey through the Rock Art Research 12: 131–2. the Thames . MacMillan and such fos- Ice Age . University of Cali- Gould, J. L., and C. G. Gould. 1994 Co, London. sils may fornia Press, Berkeley and The animal mind. Scientific Robin, H. 1992. The scientific Los Angeles. American Library. New York. image from cave to com- be echoed ------1998. The Cambridge illus- Hochberg, J., and V. Brooks. puter. W.H. Freeman and in myths trated history of prehistoric 1962. Pictorial recognition Company, Publishers, N.Y. relating art . Cambridge University as an unlearned ability: a Roitblat, H. L. 1987. Introduction to Press, Cambridge. study of one child’s per- comparative cognition. W. H. that ani- Bednarik, R. G. 1994 a The Dis- formance. American Journal Freeman and Company, N.Y. of Psychology 75: 624–8. mals and crimination of Rock Mark- Russon, A. E., K. A. Bard, S. Taylor plants ings. Rock Art Research 11: Keeley, L. H. 1980. Experimental Parker (eds.) 1996. Reaching 23–44. determination of were into thought: the minds of ------1998. The ‘’ uses: a microwear analysis . the great apes. Cambridge ‘painted’ cobble from Makapansgat, The University of Chicago University Press, Cambridge. Press, Chicago. on rock South Africa. South African Smith, W.G. 1894. Man the pri- Archaeological Bulletin 53: 4–8. Laseron, C. 1969. Ancient Austra- surfaces in meval savage: his haunts Carrier, D. 1984. Meditations on lia: the story of its past geog- and relics from the hill-tops primeval a portrait of Comrade Sta- raphy and life . Revised by R. of Bedfordshire to Blackwall . lin. Arts 59 (2): 100–2. O. Brunnschweiler. Taplinger Edward Stanford, London. times.” Publishing Company, N.Y. ------1986. Comment on Whit- Taborin, Y. 1993 b. Shells of the ney Davis, ‘The origins of Leroi-Gourhan, A. 1964. Les French Aurignacian and image making’. Current religions de la préhistoire Périgordian. In H. Knecht, Anthropology 27: 203. (Paléolithique) . Presses Uni- A. Pike-Tay, and R. White versitaires de France, Paris. Davis, W. 1986 a. The Origins of (eds.), Before : the Image Making. Current Lommel, A. 1967. Shamanism: complex record of the Early Anthropology 27: 193–215. the beginnings of art . Eve- Upper Paleolithic , pp. 211– lyn, Adams & Mackay, New 227. CRC Press, Ann Arbor. ------1986 b. More on the origins York. of image making: reply to White, M. E. 1990. The flowering of Delluc and Delluc. Current Oakley, K. P. 1964 (1949). Man Gondwana . Princeton Uni- Anthropology 27: 515–16. the toolmaker. University of versity Press, Princeton, N.J. Chicago Press, Chicago. ------1987. Replication and depic- White, R. 1992. Beyond art: tion in Paleolithic art. Repre------1971. Fossils collected by toward an understanding of sentations 19: 111–47. the earlier Palaeolithic men. the origins of material rep- In Mélanges: De Préhistoire, resentation in Europe. An- Debelmas, J. 1974. Géologie de d'Archéocivilisation et d'Ethnolo- nual Review of Anthropol- la France: Vieux Massifs et gie offerts à André Varagnac, ogy 21: 537–64. Grands Bassins Sedimen- pp. 581–584. École Pratique taires . Doin, Paris. ------1993 a. Technical and social des Hautes Études, Paris. dimensions of ‘Aurignacian Dirks, J. and E. Gibson. 1997. ------1973. Fossil Shell observed age’ body ornaments across Infants’ perception of simi- by Acheulian man. Antiq- Europe. In H. Knecht, A. larity between live people uity 47: 59–60. Pike-Tay, and R. White and their photographs. Child (eds.), Before Lascaux: The Development 48: 124–30. ------1981. The emergence of higher thought 3.0–0.2 Ma Complex Record of the Early Donald, M. 1991. Origins of the B.P. In The emergence of Upper Paleolithic, pp. 277– modern mind: three stages man, pp. 205–211 . Organ- 99. CRC Press , Ann Arbor. in the evolution of culture ized by J. Z. Young, E. M. ------1993 b. The dawn of adornment. and cognition. Harvard Uni- Jope, and K. P. Oakley. The Natural History 102: 60–7. versity Press, Cambridge. Royal Society and the Brit- Whitehouse, F. W. 1948. The Fenelon, P. 1951. Le Périgord: etude ish Academy, London. Australian Aboriginal as a morphologique . Lahure, Paris. ------1985. Decorative and sym- collector of fossils. Queen- Feyes, R. 1975. “Le Permien et la bolic uses of fossils: selected sland Naturalist 13: 100–2. Phase Saalienne dans le groups, mainly invertebrate . Bassin de Brive (SW de la Pitt Rivers Museum, Univer- France).” In H. Falke (ed.), sity of Oxford, Oxford. The continental Permian in Marshack, A. 1991 a. The roots of central, west, and south civilization: the cognitive

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PLEISTOCENE COALITION CONTRIBUTORS to this Pleistocene Coalition NEWS , Vol. 11: Issue 6 ISSUE News is produced by the (November-December) Tom Baldwin Pleistocene Coalition © Copyright 2019 bi-monthly Rockey Whipkey since October 2009. PUBLICATION DETAILS Ray Urbaniak Back issues can be found EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/LAYOUT Tim Holmes near the bottom of the John Feliks PC home page. Virginia Steen-McIntyre

John Feliks To learn more about early COPY EDITORS/PROOFS man in the Pleistocene visit Virginia Steen-McIntyre our website at Tom Baldwin Richard Dullum pleistocenecoalition.com

SPECIALTY EDITORS The Pleistocene Coalition cele- James B. Harrod, Rick Dullum, brated its ten-year anniversary Matt Gatton September 26, and the anniver- sary of Pleistocene Coalition News , October 25. PCN is now in its elev- ADVISORY BOARD enth year of challenging main- Virginia Steen-McIntyre stream scientific dogma.

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