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Another passage from
"THE SECOND GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD"
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Among David Fellin's most remarkable revelations were
ourneys he insisted he had taken back in time which
had afforded him an opportunity to witness monumental
events of history as they actually occurred.
<
He testified, for example, that he had watched the
construction of the pyramids in Egypt and had been
aboard Christopher Columbus' ship -- unseen by
Columbus and his crew -- during his journey in which he
discovered America.
<
As for the time-honored question of how the pyramids
were built, Fellin said, based on what he had observed,
it was nowhere near the gargantuan task as is generally ...

Researchers Test Canine Tooth Strength for Clues to Behavior of Early Human Ancestors

Measuring and testing the teeth of living primates could provide a window into the behavior of the earliest human ancestors, based on their fossilized remains. Research funded by the National Science Foundation and led by University of Arkansas anthropologist Michael Plavcan takes us one step closer to understanding the relationship between canine teeth, body size and the lives of primates.

In an article published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Plavcan and colleague Christopher B. Ruff of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine report on an initial examination of the function of the shape of canine teeth in primates. This is the first published comparative analysis of canine strength for primates.

Understanding more about the function of canine teeth can lead to new models for understanding human evolution. Plavcan has been studying primate teeth and skulls for 24 years and spent four years collecting dental data for this analysis.

The researchers compared the size, shape and strength of canine teeth from 144 primates with similar measurements taken from 45 carnivores. They examined the relationship of the size of primates' canines to body size and the relative strength of the teeth. This comparison could help answer the speculation about the function of male primates' canine teeth in the competition for females. Are the canines used as weapons or simply for display?

The reason we wanted to use the carnivores is that we know carnivores use their canines for killing," Plavcan said. "If primates' canines are too weak to function as weapons, then they're all just for show."

Among anthropoid primates, it is well known that the canine teeth of males are up to four times as long as those of females. The researchers compared the canine teeth of male and female primates.

If the male's canines are stronger than the female's canines that would imply there is sexual selection for strength and that the tooth is actually used as a weapon," Plavcan said. Female's canines are short, and shorter, stubbier objects are harder to break. So, if the long, thin male canines are as strong or stronger than those of the female, that would also suggest they are capable of being used for fighting."

The results were mixed in an interesting way.

We found that the primate canines are generally as strong as or stronger than carnivore canines," Plavcan said. "But they are not associated with any sort of estimate of sexual selection.

Generally the canines of males and females were equally strong. Given that primates have such strong teeth in general, the researchers suggested a couple of possible explanations. It could be that all primate males have strong teeth because of a significant risk to reproductive success for any male who breaks a canine tooth. Or it could be that the strong teeth are due to basic inherited design.

Hominids the primate family that produced humans - retain body mass sexual dimorphism; that is, males typically have a greater body mass size than females. At the same time, the difference in size in canine teeth between males and females is lost.

This goes back to the earliest hominids," Plavcan said. In fact, one of the few diagnostic characteristics of hominid evolution is reduction in canine size dimorphism while maintaining strong body mass dimorphism.

For example, gorillas have chunky teeth set in massive bodies. To have canines proportionately as long as other primates, a male gorilla's canines would have to be 25 centimeters long, and the teeth at the base would then be too wide for his jaw.

This suggests that there may be an upper limit on canine size in primates simply due to spatial constraints on fitting such teeth in the jaws, the researchers wrote.

The difference in body size between male and female hominids has been the subject of study because it is an obvious and important trait. Yet there are drawbacks to using body size to understand sexual selection. A change in body size can impact many other aspects of life, including metabolism, feeding patterns and vulnerability to predators. Canine teeth, on the other hand, are a far simpler system.

With canines, we can go in and effectively construct an experiment that allows us to control for all these other variables and look at only one thing," Plavcan said. "The same phenomenon that works on the canines, we can translate into the body mass and then into behavioral models for the fossil record.

Source: University of Arkansas
http://www.physorg.com/news133709182.html

Published online 25 June 2008 | Nature 453, 1155 (2008) | doi:10.1038/4531155a

Online anthropology draws protest from aboriginal group
South African tribe objects to multimedia images of remains.

Tony Scully

As Europe's museums begin archiving their collections in digital format, skeletons are emerging - and not just of the physical variety. One South African tribe already says it will oppose the inclusion of images of its people's remains in any multimedia format.

The University of Vienna has started to digitize the collection made in the early twentieth century by Rudolf Pöch, considered one of anthropology's founding fathers. The project, headed by Maria Teschler-Nicola, will improve the collection's accessibility for researchers and store the delicate material in a sustainable way, using electronic records of physiological measurements as well as two- and three-dimensional scans.

But the full collection, which includes human remains and thousands of ethnographic artefacts, was gathered using unethical methods, such as grave-robbing.

Around the turn of the twentieth century, anthropological adventurers in search of exotic artefacts collected skeletal remains from ethnic groups in Africa, Asia and Australia, and sold them to museums in the West. There, they were often displayed in exhibitions purporting to show the evolution of humans from these supposedly 'primitive' origins.

Museums in Europe and the United States have now stopped displaying the remains of modern humans that were not acquired by donation. But it was not until 1995 that the Natural History Museum Vienna removed an exhibit depicting a Negro man as being below Caucasians on the evolutionary scale of development.

"There are maybe 300 sensitive cases in our collection," says Teschler-Nicola. "We don't want to repeat the same mistakes, but we don't have any guidelines." Such bones can be important research material for archaeoanthropologists, which complicates the museum's decision.

The Natural History Museum in London is also planning to digitally record its entire collection, and has yet to decide what to do about its own contentious human remains. The issue was raised at a meeting organized at the museum in March to survey the opinion of leading international scientists. An internal report from the meeting is thought to endorse continuing scientific study, including digitization, on human remains that may be subject to repatriation. "The decision on how to move forward is yet to be taken," says John Jackson, science-policy coordinator at the museum. "There are constraints on whether those remains should be in the collection - whether it is ethically right has to be considered very carefully."

"When repatriation requests are made there is an expectation that all studies have been done. This is not the case," says Robert Hedges, an archaeologist at the University of Oxford, UK, who attended the meeting. "There is every reason for studying remains that are vulnerable to repatriation. You have to be aware that one is liable to lose information if remains are repatriated."

Roger Chennells, legal adviser to the San Institute, a South African non-governmental organization that campaigns for the repatriation of the aboriginal San people's remains, some of which are in the Pöch collection, told Nature . "We have not been consulted, and we do not support any photographic archiving of our people's remains - we are opposed to it," he says.

The University of Vienna and the National History Museum in London both hope to draw up guidelines in the next few weeks.

Source: Nature
http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080625/full/4531155a.html

Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek

Britain's last Neanderthals were more sophisticated than we thought

An archaeological excavation at a site near Pulborough, West Sussex, has thrown remarkable new light on the life of northern Europe's last Neanderthals. It provides a snapshot of a thriving, developing population - rather than communities on the verge of extinction.

"The tools we've found at the site are technologically advanced and potentially older than tools in Britain belonging to our own species, Homo sapiens," says Dr Matthew Pope of Archaeology South East based at the UCL Institute of Archaeology. "It's exciting to think that there's a real possibility these were left by some of the last Neanderthal hunting groups to occupy northern Europe. The impression they give is of a population in complete command of both landscape and natural raw materials with a flourishing technology - not a people on the edge of extinction."

The team, led by Dr Pope and funded by English Heritage, is undertaking the first modern, scientific investigation of the site since its original discovery in 1900. During the construction of a monumental house known as 'Beedings' some 2,300 perfectly preserved stone tools were removed from fissures encountered in the foundation trenches.

Only recently were the tools recognised for their importance. Research by Roger Jacobi of the Leverhulme-funded Ancient Human Occupation of Britain (AHOB) Project showed conclusively that the Beedings material has strong affinities with other tools from northern Europe dating back to between 35,000 and 42,000 years ago. The collection of tools from Beedings is more diverse and extensive than any other found in the region and therefore offers the best insight into the technologically advanced cultures which occupied Northern Europe before the accepted appearance of our own species.

"Dr Jacobi's work showed the clear importance of the site," says Dr Pope. "The exceptional collection of tools appears to represent the sophisticated hunting kit of Neanderthal populations which were only a few millennia from complete disappearance in the region. Unlike earlier, more typical Neanderthal tools these were made with long, straight blades - blades which were then turned into a variety of bone and hide processing implements, as well as lethal spear points.

"There were some questions about the validity of the earlier find, but our excavations have proved beyond doubt that the material discovered here was genuine and originated from fissures within the local sandstone. We also discovered older, more typical Neanderthal tools, deeper in the fissure. Clearly, Neanderthal hunters were drawn to the hill over a long period time, presumably for excellent views of the game-herds grazing on the plains below the ridge."

The excavations suggest the site may not be unique. Similar sites with comparable fissure systems are thought to exist across south east England. The project now aims to prospect more widely across the region for similar sites.

Barney Sloane, Head of Historic Environment Commissions at English Heritage, said: "Sites such as this are extremely rare and a relatively little considered archaeological resource. Their remains sit at a key watershed in the evolutionary history of northern Europe. The tools at Beedings could equally be the signature of pioneer populations of modern humans, or traces of the last Neanderthal hunting groups to occupy the region. This study offers a rare chance to answer some crucial questions about just how technologically advanced Neanderthals were, and how they compare with our own species."

Source: University College London - UCL
http://www.physorg.com/news133427782.html

--
Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek

BritainÂ’s last Neanderthals were more
sophisticated than we thought
An archaeological excavation at a
site near Pulborough, West Sussex, has thrown remarkable new light on the life
of northern EuropeÂ’s...

Episode 10, The Harp’s Voice Unleashed, completes the story of the
Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh from the Book of Invasions.

Mighty Balor, the strong smiter, and the Fomori have invaded Ireland
and the Tuatha De Danaan meet them on the field of Battle. After a
bloody and epic struggle, Lugh kills Balor and the Fomori are beaten
and driven back to the sea. Tired and weary, it is now time for the
Children of Danu to count the cost…

The Episode is available for subscribers on the feed, or you can
download it or listen to it from our Episodes page. You can find the
Shownotes for this episode in the Shownotes section.

For those new to the Show:

The Celtic Myth Podshow will tell you ancient tales and legends of
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Man
bringing you the bravery of heroes and heroines, the magnificent
pantheon of gods and goddesses and the magic and wonder of druids,
faeries and folklore. It weaves together the rich, beautiful tapestry
of mythological history, battles and sagas of the Celts.

Solstice Day today and that is First day of Winter in the LOB aka the
Land Of Bastards australia, as well as in the Northern Hemisphere the
First Day of Summer. The Feast of the Queen of Heaven & Harvest
celebrated since Babylon as a symbol of Hope.
No wonder then in that Hell on Earth where frauds such as Darwin &
Telfer give their name to towns, hope is banned & gone by evil twist
of mind of the shameless debased Antipodean Toads. It has led indeed
to the severing their own connection to the Eternal Rhythms of the
Universe and the artificial ( imposed by Turdland Law) report of the
Season at the beginning of a men-made partition of the year i.e. the
month ! .. in this case June ! What a most stupid congregation of
degenerate Morons !

NOM DE DIEU MAIS C'EST PAS POSSIBLE DES CONS PAREILS !

Ancient fort opens new chapter in First Nations' history

University of Calgary archaeologists join the Blackfoot in studying unusual woodland-style settlement on Canadian plains
A fortified village that pre-dates European arrival in Western Canada and is the only one of its kind discovered on the Canadian plains is yielding intriguing evidence of an unknown First Nations group settling on the prairies and is rekindling new ties between the Siksika Nation (Blackfoot) and aboriginal groups in the United States.

This spring, students from the U of C's Department of Archaeology are spending several weeks working on a dig near Cluny, about 120 kilometres east of Calgary, as part of a project that is expected to continue for several years unearthing one of Alberta's most significant archaeological sites. Known as the Cluny Fortified Village, the site on the Siksika First Nation reservation next to the Bow River is more than 250 years old and is an enigma to archaeologists who say it may have been home to a small band of normally-sedentary people from North Dakota.

"Tipi camps whose remains are the rings of tipi-anchoring stones left behind after the camps were abandoned were the usual dwelling sites in Alberta for thousands of years," said Dale Walde, director of the U of C's field school who is overseeing the excavation. "This site has no tipi rings, instead it looks more like villages 1,500 kilometres away on the Missouri River in southern North Dakota."

Similar to the fortified villages of agrarian First Nations groups in central and eastern North America, the Cluny Fortified Village includes evidence of a living area surrounded by a trench and wooden palisade along with pits often seen in communities where farming was a way of life. This year's archaeology field school uncovered bone and stone tools, arrowheads, pottery and glass trading beads that also point towards the inhabitants being descended from the Middle Missouri region people.

"The pottery from Cluny is quite unlike other prehistoric pottery found in Alberta, but it may be distantly related to ceramics from the Eastern Woodlands and the Middle Missouri region," Walde said. "The big mystery of Cluny is: Why is this village site so different from everywhere else?"

The site's existence has long been known to elders of the Siksika Nation but prior to this year, the only archaeological excavation took place in 1960 by a team led by Dick Forbis, a Glenbow Museum archaeologist who later helped establish the U of C's Department of Archaeology. Walde's field school was invited by the Siksika Nation to work on the site as part of the tribe's new Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, which opened last year.

According to Blackfoot oral histories, the village belonged to a peaceful group that broke from a tribe in the United States and settled on Blackfoot territory for six years, moving to a new settlement each year. Combined with archaeological evidence, scholars believe the group may have descended ultimately from the Hidatsa culture.

"We're still unraveling the story and this site is like a gold mine," said Jack Royal, president of the Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. "This is a very unique and valuable project because everything is uncovered, documented and prepared by the university and then it comes to our interpretive centre to be stored and used to teach the public about our history and culture."

Royal said reviving archaeology at the site is a priority for the Siksika Nation because it can help strengthen ties the nation has already forged with groups in the United States.

"Several years ago we visited the Mandan tribe in North Dakota and had a pipe ceremony in one of their traditional earthlodges and we knew there was a connection and relationship between us before European contact," Royal said. "It was a very emotional ceremony because it was like meeting relatives you've never met before but knew were out there, and this is helping to re-establish that relationship."

The project is also providing a valuable opportunity for U of C students to be involved in making discoveries important to Canadian archaeology and is especially rewarding for some students who are learning about their heritage by being involved in the dig.

"As an archaeology student of Metis heritage, I feel privileged to be part of the team that is researching this fascinating site," said student Leanne Gladstone, who took part in the initial excavation work last year and is the field school's teaching assistant this spring. "Not only has this been a journey of learning, but it has also been an opportunity to gain a deeper spiritual connection and understanding of my First Nation roots."

Source: University of Calgary
http://www.physorg.com/news133082175.html

Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek

Ancient fort opens new chapter in First Nations'
history
University of Calgary
archaeologists join the Blackfoot in studying unusual woodland-style settlement
on Canadian plains A fortified village...

On Jun 18, 7:11 pm, jonattheh...@gmail.com wrote:

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FOSSILS -- SOME HUMAN -- FOUND BETWEEN COAL VEINS
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Body Segment Differences in Surface Area, Skin Temperature and 3D Displacement and the Estimation of Heat Balance during Locomotion in Hominins
Alan Cross1, Mark Collard1, Andrew Nelson2

1 Laboratory of Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
2 Department of Anthropology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada

Abstract
The conventional method of estimating heat balance during locomotion in humans and other hominins treats the body as an undifferentiated mass. This is problematic because the segments of the body...