rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher) (07/02/84)
I've recently begun reading Jean Auel's book "The Clan of the Cave Bear",
which is (roughly speaking) about the adoption of a Cro-Magnon girl
into a clan of Neanderthals. Although I've just started it, some questions
have come up. The author seems to be claiming that the brain structure of
Neanderthals was substantially different than that of modern humans and/or
Cro-Magnons, in that there was inherently less ability to do creative thinking,
and in fact a limitation on thinking about the future.
The author does mention the fact that the average brain size of Neanderthals
was somewhat larger than even present day humans. She claims that this
larger brain size was due to Neanderthals having an i9ncredible memory,
including both memory of their own experiences, and also "memory" of the
experiences of direct ancestors. This concept was then expanded in the
book to propose a kind of communal memory, where members of a clan could
think as a unit, through there common memory of common ancestors. This
communal memory was thus limited to thinking about the past.
My question is: These theories seem (to me at least) to be pretty
apeculative at best, and perhaps downright screwy. However, in the forward
to the book, the author gives the impression that a lot of research into
anthropological sources was done, despite the fact that the book is
a work of fiction. Does anyone who's read the book have any comment
on what anthropologists think of it? Does the book represent theories
put forth by actual anthropologists?
Thanks,
Bob Schleicher
ihuxk!rs55611
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, Ill.sebb@pyuxss.UUCP (S Badian) (07/03/84)
I've read both The Clan of the Cave Bear and The Valley of the Horses, which is the second book in the series(and I am eagerly awaiting any further novels!). I think the research was done on how Neanderthal people lived-what kind of tools they used, what they hunted, where they lived, things like that that scienticists can get from site remains. The religion and brain part seem very far-fetched, though interesting all the same. Since we have no written record of Neanderthal religion, we can only speculate. I'm sure an expert what have a different explanation on the larger brain of the Neanderthal. One simple one is Neandethal were pro- bably bigger than Cro-Magnon Man. A bigger brain doesn't mean much unless you get a bigger forebrain to go with it. Besides, who said that you need a bigger brain to remember lots of stuff. Most of the brain goes unused anyway. I'd say the memory stuff is all fiction, but it certainly makes for an interesting novel. Sharon Badian
benson@dcdwest.UUCP (07/03/84)
I read the Clan of the Cave Bear and enjoyed it very much. I chose to discount much of the speculation about Neanderthal vocal abilities (or lack of them) or rcaial memory. The analysis of vocal abilities was due largely to Philip Lieberman's work in the early seventies. This work is based on the reconstruction of the soft tissues or the head, particularly the larynx, and their relative positions. In brief, L believed that the high position of the larynx in N restricted their abilities to produce a full range of human sounds. Reconstruction of soft tissue is probably difficult; determining the acoustics without actually having the organism right there is very difficult. Saying what CAN'T be done is speculative. Even if L's speculations about anatomy are correct, N may have had alternative articulations. Racial memory smacks to me of Lamarckianism: how can something a memory acquired during one's life affect the DNA in the gonads? I don't see how evolution could work that way. Anyway, as I said, I liked the book. The next one, Valley of the Horses, fell short of my expectations. Ayla seemed to be developing technology so quickly that she would be smelting iron in the next book. And the romance seemed to hinge on big things, like breasts and penises. It all rang a little false. -- _ Peter Benson | ITT Defense Communications Division (619)578-3080 | 10060 Carroll Canyon Road decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!benson | San Diego, CA 92131 ucbvax!sdcsvax!dcdwest!benson |
dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (07/12/84)
>[Sharon Badian...] > I've read both The Clan of the Cave Bear and The Valley > of the Horses, which is the second book in the series(and I am > eagerly awaiting any further novels!). I think the research was > done on how Neanderthal people lived-what kind of tools they used, > what they hunted, where they lived, things like that that scienticists > can get from site remains. The religion and brain part seem very > far-fetched, though interesting all the same. Since we have no > written record of Neanderthal religion, we can only speculate. And "scientists" certainly have engaged in their share of speculation. Since this is net.books, let me recommend G. K. Chesterton's "Everlasting Man" for a wonderfully disdainful view of this practice. > Besides, who said that you need a bigger brain to remember > lots of stuff. Most of the brain goes unused anyway. I am not sure I believe this. I have been taught that the idea that the brain is largely unused is untrue. (Although perhaps this should not be believed either - see next comments.) Certainly it is not all used for *cognition* (i.e., occipital cortex is for visual function), but cognition can hardly be said to be the only use to which brain can be put. Can anyone document an area which is unused? -- Paul DuBois {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois And he is before all things, and by him all things consist... Colossians 1:17