Re: Neanderthal "voice boxes"?

J E Hawcroft (J.E.Hawcroft@shef.ac.uk)
Mon, 06 Jan 1997 15:37:51 +0000

Would anyone like to discuss the ins and outs of whether this Kebara
hyoid bone makes a jot of difference to what we know about Neanderthal
speech. Although it is encouraging that it doens't look any different
from the modern human condition, I would err on the sie of caution. The
hyoid doesn't attach to any other bones at all, and its position is
detemined by the tongue and by the strap muscles which attach the
mandible to the shoulders. Without a context is a hyoid of any
informative value?
Jennie