Neanderthals and Modern Humans: An Ecological and Evolutionary Perspective

✍ Scribed by Clive Finlayson

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 268
• Series: Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This is a very scholarly and technical book. Be prepared for pages of charts and computer projections. But it is also a very refreshing book because the author is willing to follow the scientific evidence wherever it leads, and to disregard the previously established consensus which was based on incomplete research.

The case the author builds for his theory that there was minimal human-Neanderthal contact, and that Neanderthal extinction was caused by inability to adapt to unstable climatic conditions is quite impressive. I was especially interested in the author's review of climate changes during the Pleistocene. His research is so complete that it may also be relevant to the current global warming debates. Any serious criticisms of his theory or major revisions to it will need new and compelling evidence.

The book ends on an unnecessary negative note, "That we are here today is the end result of a series of chance events...It could easily have gone the other way." In fact C S Lewis and other Christian writers have long ago put to rest the notion that there is an inherent contradiction between evolution and the Christian message. The last paragraph could easily have been omitted, but the rest of the book is must reading for anyone interested in the subject of Neanderthal extinction.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover Page......Page 1
Book Info......Page 3
Title Page......Page 5
ISBN 0521820871......Page 6
Contents (with page links)......Page 9
Preface......Page 11
Acknowledgements......Page 12
1 Human evolution in the Pleistocene......Page 13
Vegetation structure......Page 21
Rocky habitats......Page 22
Mosaics: transitional and edge habitats and heterogeneous landscapes......Page 23
Habitat changes in the Quaternary......Page 24
Open habitats and deserts......Page 25
Contrasting equatorial, tropical and sub-tropical Africa, the intermediate mountainous belt and the northern plains......Page 26
The intermediate mountainous belt......Page 27
The Great Eurasian Plain......Page 28
The periphery......Page 29
Proboscideans (Order Proboscidea)......Page 30
Perissodactyls (Order Perissodactyla)......Page 33
Artiodactyls (Order Artiodactyla)......Page 35
Herbivore distribution patterns......Page 41
Mammalian herbivore biogeographical patterns and climate......Page 47
Habitats and landscapes......Page 49
Barriers......Page 50
African beginnings......Page 51
The dynamics of colonisation and extinction......Page 52
The global pattern of colonisation and extinction......Page 57
Central and western Mediterranean Europe and the Eurasian Plain......Page 59
The European case......Page 63
The period 70–0 Myr......Page 65
The period 850–0 kyr......Page 66
The period 90–0 kyr......Page 67
The period 1.7 Myr–850 kyr......Page 68
The period 600–250 kyr......Page 69
The period 150–50 kyr......Page 71
The period 50–0 kyr......Page 72
Extinction events......Page 73
100–50 kyr......Page 74
200–100 kyr......Page 75
Contact between African and European populations......Page 76
Geographical origin of early European Modern Humans......Page 77
The Middle East......Page 78
The Iberian Peninsula......Page 79
The role of the mid-latitude belt......Page 80
Synthesis......Page 81
4 The Modern Human–Neanderthal problem......Page 83
The species problem......Page 85
Sympatry or allopatry?......Page 89
Genes......Page 91
Ecomorphology......Page 94
Patterns......Page 100
Synthesis......Page 102
Food and feeding ecology......Page 106
Predominantly plains species......Page 112
Intermediate species......Page 114
Habitat, landscape and geographical range......Page 116
Home range, group size and related features......Page 125
Technology......Page 131
Symbolic and social behaviour......Page 137
Language......Page 140
Neanderthal–Modern ecological and behavioural differences......Page 141
Synthesis......Page 144
Modern humans......Page 145
The global pattern......Page 147
Temperate and boreal Europe: the Eurasian Plain......Page 150
The Mediterranean......Page 152
Africa......Page 156
Synthesis......Page 157
Humans, climate and environmental change......Page 160
Competition......Page 164
Hybridisation......Page 167
Behavioural differences and cultural exchange......Page 169
Glacial refugia......Page 173
The Iberian refugium......Page 174
The transition in Iberia......Page 184
Instability......Page 205
The Modern Human super-organism......Page 206
8 The survival of the weakest......Page 207
Technological innovation......Page 208
The last glacial maximum......Page 210
The last deglaciation......Page 211
Systems of food production......Page 213
Two alternative ways of being human......Page 217
References......Page 221
Index......Page 261
Back Page......Page 268

✦ Subjects

Антропология;Физическая (биологическая) антропология;Палеоантропология / Эволюционная антропология;