source file: mills2.txt
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 02:04:15 -0700

Subject: Re: Neanderthal flute

From: mr88cet@texas.net (Gary Morrison)

>On the other hand, the dating of this item and concurrent attribution to
>the Neanderthal line of primates is quite significant.

   Definitely.  It's the first clear evidence of what we call "art" outside
of our species, albeit a very closely-related species.  Of course the
biggest caveat to that is the possibility that whale songs might also be
"purposeless", pure expression.



>The debate still rages whether we are descendents of this line, or not.

   The most coherent answer to that question I've heard says that the
Neanderthals were the European descendents of Homo Erectus, and modern
humans are the African descendents of Homo Erectus.  (The Homo Erecta (?)
that made it to Asia apparently died out comparatively quickly.)  As Johnny
accurately pointed out though, that theory is by no means universally
accepted.

   Along those lines, it's interesting to note that Neanderthals were very
big, burly, hearty species, living in severe cold most of the time, and in
most cases hunting with essentially hand-to-hand combat.  Many of them
sustained severe injuries during hunts - far more severe than Homo Sapiens
Sapiens like us generally did.  All that, and they still apparently had
time for music.  Take that to the next debate on funding cuts for musical
programs!



>A joke making the circles now is that early music is older than people.

   A kinda analogous question:  Which came first:  Computers or computer
graphics, given that Charles Babbage got the idea for storing programs for
his Differential Engine on punched cards from the Jaquard (sp?) loom, which
used them to wave intricate and visually pleasing patterns into fabrics.



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