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SUMMARY:A reassessment of plant foods in Neanderthal diets - Amanda Henry 
 (Leiden University)
DTSTART:20180516T153000Z
DTEND:20180516T163000Z
UID:TALK105064@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Jaap Saers
DESCRIPTION:From the earliest reconstructions of Neanderthals as a distinc
 t species\, researchers have explained their disappearance as a result of 
 various inferior qualities\, ranging from reduced mental skills to obligat
 e cannibalism. In the suite of dietary behavior\, this has resulted in int
 erpretations ranging from ideas that Neanderthals were obligate scavengers
 \, to ideas that they were capable hunters to the point of being strict ca
 rnivores. Behavioral aspects related to diet\, such as a sexual division o
 f labor and control of fire have also been proposed to be different\, or e
 ven entirely lacking for Neanderthals. However\, recent studies have shown
  that there is no one single Neanderthal diet\, that the ratio of plant an
 d animal foods varies by geographic region\, and that there is little to d
 istinguish the variation in Neanderthal diets from that of early modern hu
 man diets. Where there are differences between Neanderthal and early moder
 n human food choices\, these can be attributed to environmental difference
 s between the occupation periods. Overall\, these new studies indicate tha
 t we must take a more nuanced view when applying interpretations based on 
 dietary observations to the human fossil record. Our understanding of diet
 ary behavior\, particularly the use of plant foods and related dietary beh
 avior such as cooking\, must be grounded in a detailed understanding of lo
 cal ecological conditions\, and an accurate assessment of the influence of
  the environment\, inherent biology\, and technologies of the populations 
 we study.
LOCATION:Seminar Room\, Henry Wellcome Building\, Division of Biological A
 nthropology\, Fitzwilliam Street\, Cambridge\, CB2 3QG
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