I'm not sure how they can say definitively that it was a human and not a neanderthal, I guess they base this on the idea that they don't believe neanderthal's had the ability to construct and use a spear. If that's the case, it seems they may be trapped by their own theories.
Ahhh, the more things change, the more they stay exactly the same.... I dont think your hypothesis is accurate though Mike. It has been ohhhh 2 decades since I studied such Science, but at that time, it was pretty well understood that Neandrethal was indeed using tools to some extent and that would include Spears to hunt. I believe the first real Humanistic advantage as far as hunting was concerned was the Atlatl? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlatl
I don't know why, but that made me laugh a bit. That's what I'm saying. I think the scientists who are studying this, or at least the ones commenting on the finding, are the ones who feel that neanderthals weren't developed enough to make and use spears. I find it completely plausible that this could have been a neanderthal on neanderthal crime. My assumption was based on this
One thing I found out early in my archetectural quest is that there is no set group of agreed upon's and they are often contradicting each other Nothing new in this case I imagine
Neandertal went thousands upon thousands of years with no advancement in their tools or weapons. As Homo Sapien came on the scene, there was a marked change.. their knapping and hafting improved along with some other stuff like "charms" pendants and such. I am certain that they found H/S weapons and artifacts, and I have always believed that there was "copycat" reverse engineering going on. They would certainly recognize the advantages an upgraded tool or weapon would offer. Soo, this H/S crime upon Neandertal is conjecture in my mind.. worthy of discussion, but there is no smoking gun. Maybe two Neandertals were fighting over a "found" spear and possession being 9/10ths the other guy lost.
The theory (and I'm not saying it's right or wrong) is that neanderthals created spears but not throwing spears. This belief was based on not finding throwing spears in neanderthal habitats and the injuries that neanderthal bones revealed. Those injuries were very similar to rodeo cowboys and the implication is that their hunting style involved very close proximity to large animals. If that theory is correct and if its possible to tell whether an injury in bone was caused by a lunged spear vs. a thrown spear that would make modern man the likely culprit.
They threw spears, but did not have atlatl technology. We just had an archeology festival a couple months back. There was a man there from Melbourne Fla. that brought atlatl's with him and taught everyone how to use them. It is a serious advantage and pretty easy to get distance for a novice. He had children throwing spears remarkable distances. Further than I can throw a spear with just my arm.
The lone hunter they found in the Swiss Alps maybe 18 yrs ago was also murdered. And I thought there were cases of Neanderthals and Humans cohabitating in regions in the Balkans?
Yes, seems just as likely this neo didn't get murdered but got killed while raiding cro-mags. And especially the Alps guy too as 4 other peoples DNA where found on his arrowhead, knife, and clothes. But probably doesn't make as good a theoretical story to be told if the found one isn't a victum.
What they failed to note was the remnants of a plastic baggie, filled with a white, powderlike substance located near the body.
Durham prosecutors have notified the press they are on Duke campus with search warrants as clearly this murder was caused by a lacrosse stick.
