Open AccessBones of Contention: Assorted Hypotheses on the Fate of the Neanderthals
Author(s) -
Frank Heilingbrunner
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of anthropology at mcmaster
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0707-3771
DOI - 10.15173/nexus.v5i1.63
Subject(s) - middle paleolithic , homo sapiens , upper paleolithic , neanderthal , paleontology , hominidae , evolutionary biology , history , biological evolution , biology , archaeology , pleistocene , genetics
The disappearance of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis at the end of the Middle Paleolithic has evoked a plethora of explanations, ranging from carefully supported theories to bizarre or romantic speculation. The processes by which the Neanderthals were replaced by anatomically modern humans occurred in a relatively short interval of time, and have been obscured by a wide variety of disturbances. A review of some of the inferences drawn by various researchers tentatively suggests a combination of in situ technological and morphological evolution in the Near East with movement of Upper Paleolithic genes and technology into Europe.