An anthropological assessment of Neanderthal behavioural energetics
The debate on Neanderthal social and symbolic capabilities is one of the fundamental issues of Palaeolithic archaeology, with the archaeological record suggesting that Neanderthals did not display the same range and variability of behaviours as anatomically modern humans (AMH). This lack of evidence has often been attributed to the cognitive superiority of AMH over Neanderthals. The reliance on the material record alone, however, neglects a range of non-material behaviours that are arguably of equal importance to understanding the cognitive abilities of this species, but which leave no archaeological traces. This thesis presents an alternative approach to the interpretation of Neanderthal social behaviour that is based on ethnographic modelling drawn from contemporary hunter-gatherers and applied to the archaeological records of Neanderthals and AMH living in Europe during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (60-30ka). The aim of this thesis is to highlight Neanderthal behavioural responses to fluctuations in environmental productivity and to compare these to the behaviours of AMH in the earlier Upper Palaeolithic to determine if any significant differences existed between the two species. The thesis employs a range of
Shuttleworth, Andy
CC Archaeology ; GN Anthropology
An anthropological assessment of Neanderthal behavioural energetics. The debate on Neanderthal social and symbolic capabilities is one of the fundamental issues of Palaeolithic archaeology, with the archaeological record suggesting that Neanderthals did not display the same range and variability of behaviours as anatomically modern humans (AMH). This lack of evidence has often been attributed to the cognitive superiority of AMH over Neanderthals. The reliance on the material record alone, however, neglects a range of non-material behaviours that are arguably of equal importance to understanding the cognitive abilities of this species, but which leave no archaeological traces. This thesis presents an alternative approach to the interpretation of Neanderthal social behaviour that is based on ethnographic modelling drawn from contemporary hunter-gatherers and applied to the archaeological records of Neanderthals and AMH living in Europe during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (60-30ka). The aim of this thesis is to highlight Neanderthal behavioural responses to fluctuations in environmental productivity and to compare these to the behaviours of AMH in the earlier Upper Palaeolithic to determine if any significant differences existed between the two species. The thesis employs a range of
anthropological assessment neanderthal behavioural debate neanderthal social symbolic capability one_fundamental issue palaeolithic_archaeology archaeological_record suggest neanderthals display range variability behaviours modern human lack_evidence often attribute cognitive superiority neanderthals reliance material_record alone however neglect range non material behaviour arguably equal importance cognitive_ability specie leave archaeological trace present_alternative interpretation neanderthal social_behaviour base ethnographic model drawn contemporary hunter_gatherer apply_archaeological record neanderthals live europe oxygen_isotope stage aim_highlight neanderthal behavioural response fluctuation environmental productivity compare behaviour earlier upper_palaeolithic determine significant_difference exist two_specie employ_range