I suspect “WE”– call us Modern or in Europe Cro- Magnon– thought that our recently extinct fellow “hominins'”, to use the latest correct term– looked odd, as we did to them, even though we did mix genes. Most reconstructions are so steeped in reflexive egalitarianism– wrong word, but I’m looking for a synonym for sappy “everything is beautiful”- ism– that all depictions look like that mythical Neandertal on the train mentioned so often in the fifties (TRAIN? Did we all live in New York or London??), who just looked a bit uncomfortable in his Mad Men commuter suit. Which is why I do love these Denisovans, who would give any Modern kid proper nightmares; I suspect their (and our) western kin, the Neandertals, would have too…
Is that Gandalf on the right? Middle Earth, indeed.
WH
In one of the many recent articles on the H. sapiens – Neanderthal-Denisovan DNA discoveries, I saw a new variation on the old Neanderthal on the bus (train) trope:
"If a Neanderthal came and sat down next to you on a bus, you'd probably get up and sit on the other side of the bus. If a Homo erectus sat down next to you on a bus, you'd probably get off the bus."
I don't know who came up with that bus(train) trope you mentioned, Reid, but that sure as heck would NOT be MY response! In fact, I'd consider that somewhat of a subspecies racist remark! I personally would find it cool as heck to hang out with a Neanderthal or Homo Erectus or Australopithecine, etc. etc.! And I don't think I'm being unrealistic here at all, since I HAVE sat next to wild Chimpanzees and Baboons, and enjoyed their company very much, thank you! I also have zero sense of smell, which likely helps with that kind of association…….L. B.
Nice image. At first I thought it was one of the paintings by the Dutch Kennis brothers, who have done some spectacular reconstructions of hominids but even better, Pleistocene fauna.
http://www.kenniskennis.com/site/paintings/Prehistoric%20mammals/
The Spanish painter of the Denisovans comes damn close to their quality. – Laura N.
He does the BEST cats.
Lane – I wouldn't mind spending time with them either.
Laura – I hope you are doing well
I have to laugh at comments like that "trope", Reid, as if anyone DARED make such a comment now regarding any existent human culture or race(subspecies), it WOULD generate quite a bit of backlash! Obviously the Geico folks picked up on that with their famous and popular Cave Man commercials, which I loved! Too bad the attempted series of the same was so bad and (deservedly) bombed…..L.B.