LECTURE v
Homo sapiens—The First Humans ..................................................
Homo sapiens—The First Humans
Lecture 21
Recent analyses of DNA extracted from Neanderthal skeletons suggest
something very, very clear indeed. It suggests that Neanderthal and
human lines split more than 500,000 years ago—maybe 600,000 or
700,000 years ago. And what that suggests is that we really are talking
about different species. We’re not talking about minor variations on the
same species. And that evidence also seems to rule out any possibility
that humans and Neanderthals interbred.
S
o, here we are. Though tantalizingly close to us, neither ergaster nor
Neanderthals display quite the technological creativity that is the
birthmark of our species, nor apparently the ability to communicate
with the À uency, precision, and speed of modern humans. Both species
disappeared about 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, probably under pressure from
our species.
The last lecture suggested that our astonishing ecological creativity arises
from our capacity for “symbolic” language, which allows us to learn
collectively. If this argument is correct, how can we tell when the ¿ rst real
humans appeared? What evidence could show the presence of symbolic
language and a new level of ecological and technological creativity?
Unfortunately, the evidence is so sparse and hard to interpret that we have
few unambiguous answers. This makes it important to be clear about the sort
of evidence we are looking for. In principle, we can imagine two main types
of archaeological evidence that might show that the threshold to collective
learning has been crossed. The ¿ rst is evidence for symbolic language. Of
course, language leaves no direct archaeological traces. But it may leave
indirect traces. Studies of the base of the skull show how the larynx was
placed, which can suggest how well a species could manipulate sounds.
Sculpture or cave (or body) painting may indicate that a species was capable
of symbolic thought and language.
