Sunday, January 5, 2020

In The Footsteps Of Our Distant Cousins

Neanderthal is the temporary exhibit being held at the Museum of History at the moment. It is still running until late this month, if you happen to be in the area.


In the decades of the 19th century following the discovery of Neanderthal remains, there was a trend of scientific racism deeming these people to be brutes, savages, and less than human. This trend often showed itself in culture as well. But as the exhibit goes into detail, that was not the case. The story of the Neanderthal is a complex one of a species with a social structure, a sense of community, and problem solving intelligence. Human beings as we are today lived around and interacted with them... and in effect, they live on in us.


One of the first things we see are a collection of animals, still around today, that the Neanderthals of Europe would have been familiar with. Others, such as the cave bear, have gone extinct.


The muskoxen, Arctic fox, and ptarmigan, for instance.


Ravens, the golden eagle, and the wolf would be familiar sights for our genetic cousins.


As were the bison and the snowshoe hare.

28 comments:

  1. Well Check That Out - Pretty Cool And Quite Sad All At The Same Time

    Cheers

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  2. Sounds like a great exhibit. My DNA test showed 2% Neanderthal.

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  3. They must have been pretty smart: not many of us would know how to survive in their world.

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  4. Hello, great exhibit. I always like the animals! Have a happy day and a great new week ahead!

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  5. I would make it a point to see this exhibit were I in Ottawa.

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  6. A good exhibit. Your tour could take some time since you are still at the entrance. :)

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  7. Must be an interesting exhibition.
    Some time ago I read the trilogy 'The Clan of the Cave Bear' by Jean M. Auel about the cro-magnon man and neanderthals.

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  8. ...history is always written by the survivors.

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  9. Many of us have some lingering neanderthal blood, so the species isn't entirely extinct.

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  10. It really brings them to life. Well done.

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  11. Very very VERY distant cousins 😅

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  12. Science gets mixed in with prejudice.

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  13. @Padre: indeed.

    @Linda: anyone of European descent has 2 to 5 percent Neanderthal in them.

    @John: they would have been resourceful.

    @Iris: indeed.

    @Eileen: thanks.

    @David: you'd like it.

    @Anvilcloud: this visit will take some time.

    @Jan: I was fascinated.

    @Tom: that's true.

    @Barbara: quite true.

    @Jennifer: more to come.

    @Marleen: all in the family.

    @Red: unfortunately true.

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  14. Fascinating! I’d enjoy that exhibit! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. I am sure my kids would love this exhibit!

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  16. I've got a little Neanderthal DNA, too. Those are really nice dioramas. :-)

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  17. Looks an interesting exhibition.

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  18. Wonderful exhibit and photos ~ in some ways 'man' is still there ~

    Happy Moments to You,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  19. I know very little about this -- it would be quite fascinating to learn.

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  20. An interesting view of these relatives! Thanks for showing this.

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  21. I'm interested in seeing this story unfold.

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  22. It is such a well done exhibit ... I would love to see it in person, but as always, your guided tour is the next best thing. Thank you.

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  23. My grandson (age 29) dis the Ancestry DNA thing and among other nationalities he got 1% Neanderthal----We had a good laugh
    MB

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  24. Looks a very good exhibit.

    All the best Jan

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  25. @Marie: you're welcome.

    @Likeschocolate: no doubt.

    @DJan: most of us do!

    @Francisco: thank you.

    @Fun60: it was.

    @Carol: thanks.

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  26. @Jeanie: it was.

    @RedPat: you're welcome.

    @Kay: thank you.

    @Sallie: you're welcome.

    @MB: I can imagine.

    @Jan: that it is.

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