Neanderthals and cannibalism

Whoops, wait a minute! I thought this was a thread about Washington partisan politics under the Bush Administration . . . . my mistake. Sorry!

No, but really, that was an interesting article J.D. It seems like every year scientists find new evidence that dispels common misconceptions and throws light on who the Neanderthals really were.
 
Then, again, we have heard in more modern times of so-called civilised people eating other people when they've been marooned or shipwrecked. Perhaps the same happened way back then when food was so scarce as to be non-existent. Do any of us know what we'd do in the same situation.
 
We also still have (although it's largely gone underground) small groups that still practice cannibalism today; and not always for nutritional reasons -- often it has to do with cultural and religious causes; nor does it always mean killing the person, but eating their flesh after their death due to injury, etc. It's a complex issue anthropologically; and I would imagine that whatever level of culture Neanderthals had, as they became more widely dispersed, should not be viewed monolithically, any more than modern cultures should be. It'll be interesting to see more on this as they find further evidence.....
 
Old Neanderthal campfire song:

"Yummy yummy yummy,
I got Thag in my tummy."
 
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