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Re: Homo heidelbergensis
Mark R. Miller (dblpmrm@unocal.com)
Thu, 2 Jun 1994 20:58:55 GMT
In article <memo.245931@cix.compulink.co.uk>, rkjb@cix.compulink.co.uk (Ken Brown) writes:
|>
|> Back on topic for a while - I have a purely sentimental attraction to the
|> idea that some of the oddities about us northern Europeans are due to
|> interbreeding between H.s.s. & H.s.n
|>
|> Partial albinism, vestigal brow ridges (I can feel mine distinctly), second
|> toes longer than first toes (well, mine are), relative dolicocephaly (at
|> least amongst early populations, it seems to have diminished in the last
|> millenium)... until someone proves the contrary with genetic evidence I shall
|> persist in imagining that I have a few Neanderthal ancestors!
|> If only as an antidote to the endemic splitting amongst paleontologists, who
|> get kudos by describing a "new" species :-)
I must applaud Mr. Brown. There was some discussion on the H.s.s. H.s.n.
topic in this group about a month ago. I believe there is some good evidence
for including Neanderthals in European lineage (including Mr. Brown's
observations above) while others believe there is evidence to the contrary.
Regardless of your bias, I feel much of Hominid Paleotaxonomy is heavily
influenced by the investigator's world view and social milieu. I, for one,
will vote with Mr. Brown on this issue.
- Mark
dblpmrm@unocal.com
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