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Neandertal:

The first recognized human fossils of this type were found in a cave of the Neander Valley (Tal means 'valley' in German. The old spelling was "Thal".) east of Düsseldorf in 1856. The Neandertal had heavy brow ridges, a face that jutted out farther than ours and thicker and heavier bones. They made a distinctive kit of tools and had burial rituals for their dead that included placing flowers in the grave. They also took good care of their aged and incapacitated. They appear to have been the sole human inhabitants of Europe from at least 100,000 to 35,000 years ago. About 35,000 years ago they disappeared.

For more information about Neandertal man see:

• Earthwatch expedition in Spain. Check out their findings to date, future expedition plans & even join them!!!

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Cro-Magnon:

In 1868 a fossil skull was discovered in the rock shelter of Cro-Magnon in southwestern France that can't be distinguished from a modern human skull. It is classified as belonging to our species, Homo sapiens (meaning Man the Wise). It was about 35,000 years ago, during the Ice Age, that people of our own species entered Europe. They were "superb artists and artisans, daring hunters, and skillful sailors." The tools they made were different from those made by Neandertals and are considered to be more complex and advanced. They also made statuary and the cave paintings found in Spain and

More Paleontology:

• Paleo-Psychology - A Canadian site with MANY links to Prehistoric Art pages.
• The Mammoth Trumpet ~ A quarterly news magazine for the public that reports on all aspects of the peopling of the Americas. * Might especially be of interest to readers of Linda Lay Schuler, the Gears and William Saraband.
• A list of books recommended by Academic Advisors at the University of Georgia, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Some of these books were the inspiration for these Advisors to enter the field of Anthropology:
  • Lucy: the Beginnings of Humankind by Maitland Edey and Donald Johanson
    Great book! Well written, easy reading, and fascinating! I highly recommend it!
  • With a Daughter's Eye by Mary Catherine Bateson
  • Blackberry Winter by Margaret Mead
  • The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris
  • The Woman That Never Evolved by Sarah B. Hrdy
    Study of primates in understanding human females. Not my bag, so I didn't read it.
  • The Long Ships by Frans Bengtsson
  • Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
• Reader input:

  Have you heard of the Aquatic Ape Theory? I first came to understand it through an OLD book I happened upon in the library. It was called The Descent of Woman by Elaine Morgan. It was fascinating! Although it was written in the 60's it was news to me! (New edition published in 1997.) It explained so much about evolution that makes more sense than the usual Savannah theory does.
  Submitted by: Judy Sack