Cro-Magnons were the first fully modern Europeans--not only the creators of the stunning cave paintings at Lascaux and elsewhere, but the most adaptable and technologically inventive people that had yet lived on earth. The prolonged encounter between theCro-Magnons and the archaic Neanderthals, between 45,000 and 30,000 years ago, was one of the defining moments of history. The Neanderthals survived for some 15,000 years in the face of the newcomers, but were finally pushed aside by the Cro-Magnons' vastly superior intellectual abilities and cutting-edge technologies. What do we know about this remarkable takeover? Who were these first modern Europeans and what were they like? How did they manage to thrive in such an extreme environment? And what legacydid they leave behind them after the cold millennia? This is the story of a little known, yet seminal, chapter of human experience.--From publisher description.
*Includes pictures *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading In popular culture, the term Neanderthal is used as a colloquial insult for a degenerate or someone perceived as stupid. This seems to have been the case even from the first recognition of the Neanderthals as a species. The first Neanderthal fossil discovery was that of a child's skull in Belgium in 1829, but it was badly damaged. Another would be discovered in 1856 in a limestone mine of the Neanderthal region of what is present-day Germany, and a skull with differing distinct traits (indicating a different species than the Neanderthals) would be discovered just over a decade later in southwestern France. The latter specimen would come to be recognized as an example of the species Homo Sapiens, and these anatomically modern humans arrived in Europe between 45,000 and 43,000 years ago, around the time the Neanderthals are believed to started going extinct. The Neanderthals are a member of the genus Homo just like Homo sapiens and share roughly 99.7% of their DNA with modern humans (Reynolds and Gallagher 2012). Both species even lived briefly during the same time in Eurasia. However, the Neanderthals evolved separately in Europe, away from modern humans, who evolved in Africa. The Neanderthals lived in Europe and Asia for nearly 200,000 years and thrived in these regions, but they went extinct between 40,000 and 30,000 years ago, around the same time that modern humans began arriving in Europe. This has prompted much speculation as to the nature of the interactions between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, especially since some researchers believe they interacted with each other for over 5,000 years before the Neanderthals began going extinct at different times across Europe. One hypothesis is that Homo sapiens displaced the Neanderthals and were better suited for the environment, and it is obviously possible if not likely that these two groups had become competitors for food and other resources, with Homo sapiens being more successful in the end. If such close interactions were taking place, there is also a possibility that the relatively new-to-Europe Homo sapiens brought pathogens from Africa with them that were unknown to the Neanderthal's immune system. A more recent example of this type of resulting interaction is the European expansion into the Americas, which brought diseases like smallpox that the natives of America had never experienced before, especially diseases resulting from the domestication of animals. It is possible that the domestication of the dog by Homo sapiens may have contributed in spreading foreign diseases among the Neanderthals. Whether or not this occurred, it is highly likely that the interactions between the two groups became much more intimate at one point. The Neanderthals were able to make and use a diverse set of sophisticated tools, control fire, make and wear clothing, and create decorations and ornaments. There is even evidence that the Neanderthal buried their dead with grave offerings, a practice that is also associated with later Homo sapiens, which suggests the two species were exchanging ideas such as tool making and rituals. Archaeological sites from Spain to Russia have been discovered that contain transitional stone tools associated with either Homo sapiens or Neanderthals. From the archaeological evidence alone, it is difficult to determine the level of interactions that were held at these sites. These sites may have been used at the same time. The Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon: The History and Legacy of the First People to Migrate to Europe looks at the evolution of both and examines the theories regarding their histories and interactions. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon like never before.
Indians of North America, Trailblazers in a new world, people of the desert, the mound builders, th3e whale hunters. Essays on the gift of the corn-at home on the mesa-the art of everyday objects-a legacy on stone, ritual at sea.
Atlantis was a legendary city first mentioned by Plato. It was the imperial capital of a mighty naval empire which had conquered much of western Europe. However, through a sudden twist of fate, the entire metropolis was swallowed by the vast Atlantic Ocean over the course of a single day and night, leaving no survivors. Throughout history, many explorers have searched for the lost city, hoping to discover the remnants of a utopian dream, but alas it remained hidden within the mists of time. Did it ever really exist and if so, was it utterly destroyed by a global disaster unleashed by nature's awesome fury? Now just suppose that Atlantis was reborn from the ashes like the fabulous phoenix, and that the descendants of the original Atlantean survivors rebuilt their civilization under the leadership of a tyrannical psychopath seeking global conquest and revenge. Through his insatiable greed and delusions of wealth and power, countless lives will be ruined or lost. The only thing standing between him and global genocide is a band of gifted Atlanteans led by Jason 57. This team of Argonauts will pit their incredible gifts and wits against an insatiable demon and his vast hordes in an effort to rebalance the scales of power and reunite a fractured global society.
In this book, the authors provide a fascinating narrative of the mental life of Neandertals, to the extent that it can be reconstructed from fossil and archaeological remains.
Discover the Cro-Magnon and the origins of our species! Have you ever wondered how humans evolved? Have you often wondered if we descended from Neanderthals? Did you always believe that there was something special about our species? If your answer was “Yes” to any of these questions, this book is a great choice for you. Cro-Magnons were known as Early Modern Humans, but they are much more than that. They are the link that connects us to our earliest ancestors. Better yet, they’re a testament to how powerful and fascinating nature can be. In this book, you will: Learn all about our ancestors, from Cro-Magnon to Australopithecus. Understand how scientists came to know what they know about our origins. Journey in time and space to the continent where all humans emerged. Explore the inner workings of natural selection and learn how we’ve managed to become the only remaining human species. What science knows about us and our origins is fascinating. Moreover, it’s crucial for you to know so you can better understand yourself and your reality. The best part is that it’s all been condensed and compiled for you in this captivating read.
What were prehistoric people really like? How did they live? What animals did they hunt? Noted nature illustrator Jan Sovak provides some clues about these early humans. 29 ready-to-color scenes depict young Neanderthals on a hunt, burial of the dead, Cro-Magnon people hunting mammoths, cave paintings, Cro-Magnon weapons and jewelry, the use of dugouts and canoes for fishing, the role of the clan's shaman (medicine man), and other images based on archeological evidence. Captions included.
A Los Angeles Times Bestseller New York Times best-selling author Brian Fagan explores the world of the Cro-Magnons--the mysterious, little-known race, famous for its cave paintings, that survived the Ice Age and became the ancestors of today's humans. They survived by their wits in a snowbound world, hunting, and sometimes being hunted by, animals many times their size. By flickering firelight, they drew bison, deer, and mammoths on cavern walls- vibrant images that seize our imaginations after thirty thousand years. They are known to archaeologists as the Cro-Magnons-but who were they? Simply put, these people were among the first anatomically modern humans. For millennia, their hunter-gatherer culture flourished in small pockets across Ice Age Europe, the distant forerunner to the civilization we live in now. Bestselling author Brian Fagan brings these early humans out of the deep freeze with his trademark mix of erudition, cutting-edge science, and vivid storytelling. Cro-Magnon reveals human society in its infancy, facing enormous environmental challenges from glaciers, predators, and a rival species of humans-the Neanderthals. Cro-Magnon captures the adaptability that has made humans an unmatched success as a species. Living on a frozen continent with only crude tools, Ice Age humans survived and thrived. In these pages, we meet our most remarkable ancestors.
