Re: origin of australian aborigines

Gerold Firl (geroldf@sdd.hp.com)
1 Dec 1994 13:06:10 -0800

In article <3bj3vp$ec5@newsbf01.news.aol.com> opiowade@aol.com (Opiowade) writes:

>There is still an interesting question at play here. It still remains a
>big mystery as to how modern humans replaced neaderthals.

You might check sci.anthropology.paleo, where there is currently a
discussion of whether or not the neanderthals were integrated into the
modern line. Harry Erwin argues that they were not, based on the long
period of concurrent existance of both modern and neanderthal humans in the
middle east, with no evidence of intermediate types.

>There is alot
>of evidence to support the spontaneous development of modern humans in
>isolated pockets all over the world (and not from another mass migration
>out of Africa). One of these hot spots is in Asia where a unique tooth
>(the shovel-shaped incisor) is found both in neanderthals and modern
>humans - implying that they are related somehow.

Actually, neanderthals have never been found in asia. The continuity of
dentition you refer to is between h. erectus and h. sapiens. The
shovel-shaped incisor is found in very old erectus populations in asia, and
is still seen in modern humans there. I find this to be strong evidence in
support of local continuity.

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