JOURNAL OF CREATION 32(1) 2018 || BOOK REVIEWS

Modern science catches up with Neandertal man

in Neander Valley in 1856 (named The Rediscovered: after the famous hymn writer Joachim How modern science is rewriting Neander (1650–1680)). their story Based on its thick bones, and Dimitra Papagianni and Michael a protruding crest above the eyes, A. Morse the Neandertals were taken to be a Thames & Hudson Ltd, London, 2015 species of humans halfway between chimpanzees and modern humans. Marcellin Boule (1861–1942) of the Museum of Natural History in Paris Jean O’Micks suggested that Neandertals walked with a stooped posture, based on a inner of the Society for specimen from La Chapelle-aux- WAmerican Archaeology Book Saints, although later on it turned Award in 2015, this seven-chapter out that this specimen had arthritis in Europe and are depicted in book tells how the way Neandertals and premature bone degeneration. figure 1. have been viewed by evolutionary Even Homo erectus was taken to be The first exit out of Africa sup­ anthropology has advanced since closer to modern humans because posedly took place 1.9 million years their discovery more than 150 years of its upright, erect posture. The ago, but it is disputed as to which ago. Because of the interesting subject Neandertal skull was much longer species left first, Homo habilis or H. matter, discussed by a leading scientific and flatter, with a protruding chin erectus (p. 27). This was due to the association, a review of this book is and stronger jawbones. The upper climate in Africa becoming drier, well warranted. The book is 199 pages limit of the endocranial volume forcing humans to change their diet long, with 77 illustrations, 20 of them of Neandertals is up to 1,740 ml from a plant-based one to one richer in colour. The book describes how with a mass of 1.7 kg (p. 131). in meat. Here, the authors state that the views of the Neandertals have the evidence is so scattered that some changed, regarding their morphology, anthropologists claim the genus Homo The forerunners of their geographical distribution, and, first evolved in Asia and back-migrated the Neandertals also, very interestingly, their behaviour into Africa.1 and cognitive abilities. Chapters two and three describe the Between 1 million and 600,000 The first chapter of the book starts dispersal of other human species before years ago, the first members of the with how the Neandertals were a type the Neandertals, some of whom were genus Homo appeared in southern of human that has been long mis­ their forerunners. The Neandertals Europe, such as in Atapuerca in understood. This is expanded upon themselves are supposed to have , and as far north as a site near in the last chapter of the book, which lived from 500,000 to 20,000 years Happisburgh (pronounced “HAYSbra”) describes the popular, but false, ago, with the distinctive Neandertal in Norfolk, England. The Atapuerca imagery that Neandertals have in our form first appearing 250,000 years ago site had remains of two-horned society today. The Neandertals were (p. 48, 73). Neandertals are known rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, bison, first presented during the 1863 meeting from several hundred fossil specimens sabre-toothed cats, lynxes, bears, and of the British Association for the all over the world. They ranged as far hyenas—a very different fauna from Advancement of Science at Newcastle- as Spain and western Asia, possibly that of today (p. 37). upon-Tyne. Professor William King even southern Siberia. At times, their What is peculiar is that the authors of Queen’s College, Galway, Ireland, geographical distribution overlapped say that it took more than half a million was the name giver of this type of with that of modern humans in some years to reach these supposedly early archaic human, based on the place places. Noteworthy fossil sites of southern European sites from Dmanisi, where its first fossils were discovered, Neandertals and their close relatives , in the Caucasus, which was

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Figure 1. Fossil sites in Europe and Israel of different kinds of archaic and modern humans mentioned in this review. White (orange in illustration): H. heidelbergensis, grey (red in illustration): H. sapiens neanderthalensis, Black: modern humans. initially occupied by humans, since the the southern and western extremities (‘pit of bones’ in Spanish), which authors do not include the possibility of Europe after 500,000 years (p. 32). contains 6,500 fossil remains from that early humans crossed over the The ancestor to Neandertals is around thirty individuals, plus fossil strait of , and that there was thought to be Homo heidelbergensis, remains of bears and other preda- no land bridge at that time. Thus, it is extending from Africa and Europe tors, such as lions, wolves, and foxes. presumed, without evidence, that there right across to even and , Also found among these fossils was must be early human sites in central 600,000 years ago. In 1985, remains of a red-coloured hand axe (p. 55–56). and Eastern Europe, waiting to be H. heidelbergensis were discovered at Sima de los Huesos is thought to be discovered. Boxgrove, in southern England, along a burial ground. The fossils indicate with 300 hand axes and the butchered that they were mostly right handed, The last common ancestor between remains of elephants, rhinoceroses, which can be seen from their stronger Neandertals and modern humans was horses, bison, and red deer (p. 52). right arms and legs, as well as the imp- supposed to have lived at Gran Dolina Along with these artefacts, a shoulder rint of the shape of their brain inside Cave (at Atapuerca) (pp. 45–46), blade of a horse was also discovered, the skull. Based on grooves left on according to the authors, with showing signs of having been pierced their teeth, they also appear to have prominent cheekbones and a brain by a spear. Similar spears embedded used toothpicks, indicating that they larger than that of H. erectus (though in horses were also found near were aware of the necessity of dental not directly ancestral to Neandertals). Schöningen, , dated from hygiene (p. 57). However, the authors think the first 340,000 years ago (p. 53). This indica- Europeans represented an isolated tes that H. heidelbergensis was a skil- The Neandertals themselves migration out of Africa, and that led hunter instead of a marginal sca- they retreated out of Europe when venger, another sign that early humans Chapters four to six of the book deal the climate deteriorated. This is had advanced cognitive capabilities. with the expansion of the Neandertals somewhat hard to believe, since, as Another important site near Ata- over the world, from an evolutionary stated previously, they first reached puerca is that of Sima de los Huesos age of 250,000 years ago to 25,000

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years ago, when they supposedly kinds of tools. Such tool-making tools were shown to have an evolutionary disappeared. This period allegedly were used to strike flakes off of a stone age of only 50–60,000 years ago. began when the endocranial volume core, flake by flake, until a sharp edge In fact, the supposedly last living of the Neandertals reached an average was produced, which could be used as Neandertal, dated at 20,000 years old, that was larger than that of humans a spear tip. The French archaeologist came from Tabun, Israel. These dates living today. For example, a Neandertal François Bordes (aka Francis Carsac, overturn the idea that modern humans skull found in 1978 in Reilingen, 1919–1981) classified Neandertal tools came later than Neandertals whom Germany, showed an endocranial into 63 tool types, 21 of which were they conquered. volume of 1,430 ml, with an estimated a variety of ‘side scrapers’, which Another characteristic of both weight of 1.36 kg, whereas the brain consisted of long blades or flakes whi- modern humans and Neandertals is volume of H. heidelbergensis ranged ch had been continuously retouched what kind of shelter they used, and between 1,100 and 1,350 ml, with (p. 96). Furthermore, there is recent how they cared for their dead. As an estimated weight of 1.05–1.28 kg evidence that Neandertals used pen- mentioned, Neandertal remains have (p. 77). Besides this, Neandertals had dants, pigments, and adhesives to form been found inside ; this would a prominent ridge above the eyes, composite tools (p. 155). indicate a desire to preserve the broad noses, and large jaws, with no A larger brain implies a greater remains of the deceased, as compared chin, as well as an occipital torus and neocortex size, which was necessary to that of animals, who merely leave a suprainaic fossa. Their teeth were for socialization. Neandertals could their dead out in the open. The cave also found to be worn down (p. 77–78). have possibly hunted in groups. The at Atapuerca is not necessarily an Having such a large brain, even fact that their remains were found in example of intentional burial, since larger than that of modern humans, caves suggests that they led social the remains were not buried in a makes it hard to deny that Neandertals lives, which in turn also implied that grave, but were deposited down were intelligent. One of the main they used language to communicate a long shaft. However, recently, a themes of the book is that it describes with each other. Language is supposed number of Neandertal burial sites in detail certain areas of evidence to have arisen at a suprisingly early have been discovered, accompanied by which indicate that Neandertals had evolutionary age of some 500,000 ornamentation, usage of pigments, and cognitive capabilities quite like those years ago (p. 101), or even earlier, intentional burial with grave goods.3 of modern humans. with H. heidelbergensis. Neandertal , in , For example, a pile of concentrated remains found in 1982 at Kebara, contains artefacts dated to an mammoth and rhinoceros bones was Israel, dated to 60,000 years ago, evolutionary age of 100,000 years, in found underneath a cliff overhang at included a modern-looking hyoid bone, the form of ornaments, such as mollusk on what is now which is an essential component of the island of , but was then a vocal architecture (p. 115). Neandertals shell beads, fishing paraphernalia, and peninsula of Normandy. Researchers also had a copy of the FOXP2 gene items used in stone tool manufacture. speculate that this could have been the in their genome (p. 170), with a Other ornaments include bird talons. end of a ‘drive lane’, similar to what sequence that is exactly the same What is interesting is the presence some American Indians use when fun- as that of modern humans, which is of red in this cave, as well as nelling their prey in the direction of, necessary for the fine motor skills, what appeared to be a painting tool and over, a cliff. These Indians plan coordination, and executive function kit, and a processing workshop. Red a route in which they drive their prey, needed for producing a large variety ochre painting was also discovered bursting forth at certain strategic points of sounds during speech. Mutations in in a cave in Gibraltar in a crosshatch to keep the animals moving. Such the FOXP2 gene lead to motor-related fashion, the first Neandertal ‘hashtag’. evidence indicates that Neandertals speech problems.2 in contained could have been capable of forward One of the areas where Neandertals remains of ten Neandertals, one of planning, whereby they choreograp- and modern humans mixed was in the which displayed signs of partially hed their moves when hunting animals Middle East, based on fossils and healed wounds caused by some sort of (p. 80–81). what strongly appear to be burial trauma. Another Neandertal individual Many primate and bird species are sites in Israel, such as Qafzeh and had been intentionally buried, and the capable of using simple tools for cer- Skhul, where modern humans were grave covered by ornamental flowers. tain purposes, but higher intelligence is buried, with an evolutionary age of Thus, art and ornamentation could manifested in the way in which Nean- 90–135,000 years. Neandertal remains have also been part of Neandertal dertals used special tools to make other from Amud and Kebara, Israel, were culture and society.

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The decline and disappearance plants and some knowledge of plant like a duck, and quacks like a duck, of the Neandertals taxonomy.6 then it most likely is a duck. Basically, Genetic interbreeding between if an archaic form of human displays The authors describe the decline of modern humans and Neandertals so many signs of social, cognitive, and the Neandertal period broken down caused certain genes to intermix cultural abilities and characteristics to three time periods. These time between these two types of humans that are shared with humans, then periods are said to have spanned an (p. 177). Modern humans are held by this is strong evidence that it is also evolutionary age of 60,000 to 45,000 some evolutionary geneticists, such human, a member of the human years ago, when the Neandertals as Svante Pääbo from the Max Planck holobaramin.­ Table 1 lists 19 such expanded their range during a mild, Institute for EvolutionarAnthropology characteristics, all described in the yet variable, interglacial period. to have received genes from book as being shared by Neandertals Geographically, Neandertals had Neandertals, such as those involved and humans. Such marks of higher also extended into western Asia, and in the immune system, which possibly even into southern Siberia. Many intelligence include the making and protected against some illnesses, as researchers qualify the Denisovans, a usage of over sixty different kinds of well as genes which heighten the risk species known solely from its DNA, tools, burial of the dead, language, as a closely related sister group of the for type 2 diabetes, as well as genes symbolism, and complex hunting 7 8 Neandertals.4 The second period was which influence hair and skin colour. patterns, and possible use of snares. allegedly from 45,000 to 37,000 years The authors separate Neandertals from modern humans based on their ago, when modern humans arrived in Interpretation of the book from a special morphological characteristics, Europe, and our range overlapped with creationist perspective that of Neandertals. The last period despite the fact that they were able to is said to have been from 37,000 to According to the well-known reproduce together, as evidenced by 25,000 years ago, with the spread saying, if it looks like a duck, swims 1–4% of DNA present in the genomes of the so-called Gravettian culture, showing an influx of new kinds of Table 1. Cognitive characteristics shared by Neandertals and modern humans mentioned in the book people (pp. 133–136). Characteristic Note Previously, the Aurignacian tool industry, which itself had replaced Burial of dead (p. 105) the characteristically Neandertal Cared for the disabled (p. 149)

Mousterian industry, had included Used medicinal plants (p. 152) Implies knowledge of plant taxonomy improved blade production using Dental hygiene (p. 57) Use of toothpicks soft-hammer percussion, and more sophisticated stone tools with blades, Complex hunting pattern of large animals (p. 81) which had also involved expanded Spoken language (p. 101) trade networks, implying that different Created art and decoration (p. 154) Usage of symbolism, abstract thought Neandertal populations kept in contact with each other. Harvested sea food (p. 13) Marine navigation There are more signs indicating Used clothing and fire (p. 178) the higher intelligence of Neandertals Created and used sixty-three types of tools (p. 96) from these time periods. Phytoliths, Usage of tools to create other tools (p. 88) starch granules, and proteins from Neandertal dental calculus indicates Creation of composite tools (p. 155) that they consumed plants, such as Trade networks (p. 156) pine nuts, forest moss, poplar bark; Majority right-handedness (p. 148) mushrooms such as split gill; as well as Repetitive muscle actions (p. 148) plant fungal pathogens.5 Edible grass seeds, charred legumes, and nuts were Music (p. 155) Use of flutes found at caves in Israel and Gibraltar Cannibalism (p. 39) 6 (Gorham’s Cave). Poplar contains Quasi-global geographical distribution (p. 129) the natural pain-killer salicylic acid, Survival in harsh climates (p. 178) indicating knowledge of medicinal

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of modern humans.9 Furthermore, characteristics influenced the hybrid 3. Dediu, D. and Levinson, S.C., On the antiquity of language: the reinterpretation of there is evidence from fossils of morphology of their offspring. linguistic capacities and its consequences, individuals showing mixed character­ What is quite anomalous about Frontiers in Psychology 4:397, 2013. the Neandertals is their geographic 4. Savanne, D., Denisovans menace evolution—a istics between Neandertals and modern new chapter in the human origins debate, humans. One such example is that distribution. The remains of both J. Creation 28(3):5–8, 2014. of a four-year-old child buried with Neandertals­ and modern humans 5. Weyrich, L.S. et al., Neanderthal behaviour, diet, and disease inferred from ancient DNA in dental pierced shells and red ochre in Abrigo (as well as erectines and H. heidel­ calculus, Nature 544(7650):357–361, 2017. do Lagar Velho. Dental proportions, bergensis) have both been found in 6. Hardy K. et al., Neanderthal medics? Evidence Europe and Asia, which is a quasi- for food, cooking, and medicinal plants entrapped certain mandibular characteristics, in dental calculus, Naturwissenschaften 99(8): diaphyseal curvature, and pubic pro­ global distribution. Neandertal remains 617–26, 2012. 16 portions align with those of modern have also been found in Africa. Some 7. Pääbo, S., The human condition—a molecular researchers even believe that the approach, Cell 157(1):216–226, 2014. humans, whereas femorotibial lengths 8. Wadley, L., Were snares and traps used in the and diaphyseal robusticity suggest that Denisovans showed signs of genetic Middle Stone Age and does it matter? A review 10 admixture into 33 populations from and a case study from Sibudu, South Africa, J. it is Neandertal. Another example Human Evolution 58(2):179–92, 2010. southeast Asia and Oceania17. The of a recently found fossil hominin 9. Green, R.E. et al., A draft sequence of the showing mixed characters is a set assertion that the authors make, that Neanderthal genome, Science 328(5979): it took 500,000 years for Neandertals 710–722, 2010. of skull remains from , to reach Spain from Dmanisi in the 10. Duarte, C. et al., The early Upper , dated to an evolutionary human skeleton from the Abrigo do Lagar Velho Caucasians, can be measured based () and modern human emergence in age of 315,000 years.11 Neandertal on modern history. It is known, for Iberia, PNAS 96(13):7604–7609, 1999. characters include an elongated 11. Richter, D. et al., The age of the hominin fossils example, the seven Hungarian tribes braincase. However, most of the from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, and the origins of the came into the Carpathian Basin Middle Stone Age, Nature 546(7657):293–296, facial characteristics resemble those 2017. from the ancient homeland, Magna of modern humans, such as a relatively 12. Hublin, J.J. et al., New fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Hungaria (an area of land north of Morocco and the pan-African origin of Homo short and retracted face, weak brow the Caspian Sea) within only several sapiens, Nature 546(7657):289–292, 2017. ridges, as well as the reduced dentition 13. Lubenow, M., Bones of Contention, Baker Books, hundred years, which is roughly half Grand Rapids, MI, 2004. resembling that of early modern the distance between Dmanisi and 12 14. Premo, L.S. and Hublin, J.J., Culture, population humans. northern Spain, where Neandertal structure, and low genetic diversity in Pleistocene hominins, PNAS 106(1):33–37, 2009. Furthermore, many creationist stud­ remains were found. 15. Garner, P.A., Book review: Neanderthal Man: In ies have indicated that Neandertals and In summary, we can conclude Search of Lost Genomes, J. Creation Theology modern humans belong to the same and Science Series B: Life Sciences 6:46–49, that with scientific advances made in 2016. holobaramin, based on both cranial anthropology and with more and more 16. Ennouchi, E., Un Néanderthalien: l’homme du 13 and post-cranial characteristics. recent discoveries made over the past Jebel Irhoud (Maroc), Anthropologie 66:279–299, 1962. Modern humans, Neandertals, and 150 years, the way Neandertals have 17. Reich, D. et al., Denisova admixture and the first their direct ancestors display lower been viewed according to evolution modern human dispersals into Southeast Asia and genetic diversity than the great apes, has changed dramatically. There are Oceania, American J. Human Genetics 89(4): 516–528, 2011. indicating that they have undergone a some variations in morphology, quite demographic bottleneck in the recent possibly due to a higher pre-Flood past,14,15 similar to modern humans. variation. But instead of primitive, This means that humans could have brutish animals, half-way between been morphologically diverse before animals and humans, we can state this demographic bottleneck, which with high enough confidence that could correspond to the dispersion Neandertals are the same species as after Babel, since at this time humanity modern humans, and part of the human broke up into smaller people groups. holobaramin. Furthermore, there are some human fossils showing mixed characteristics References from both modern humans and 10 1. Disotell, T.R., Archaic human genomics, Neandertals. This means that these American J. Physical Anthropology 149:24–39, two groups interbred with each other, 2012. so were members of the same created 2. Johansson, S., The talking Neanderthals: what do fossils, genetics, and archeology say? kind, and that their individual genetic Biolinguistics 7:035–074, 2013.

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