{"product_id":"the-smart-neanderthal-clive-finlayson-9780198797524","title":"The Smart Neanderthal: Cave Art, Bird Catching, and the Cognitive Revolution","description":"Since the late 1980s the dominant theory of human origins has been that a 'cognitive revolution' (C.50,000 years ago) led to the advent of our species, \u003cem\u003eHomo sapiens\u003c\/em\u003e. As a result of this revolution our species spread and eventually replaced all existing archaic \u003cem\u003eHomo\u003c\/em\u003e species, ultimately leading to the superiority of modern humans. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOr so we thought. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAs Clive Finlayson explains, the latest advances in genetics prove that there was significant interbreeding between Modern Humans and the Neanderthals. All non-Africans today carry some Neanderthal genes. We have also discovered aspects of Neanderthal behaviour that indicate that they were not cognitively inferior to modern humans, as we once thought, and in fact had their own rituals and art. Finlayson, who is at the forefront of this research, recounts the discoveries of his team, providing evidence that Neanderthals caught birds of prey, and used their feathers for symbolic purposes. There is also evidence that Neanderthals practised other forms of art, as the recently discovered engravings in Gorham's Cave Gibraltar indicate. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLinking all the recent evidence, \u003cem\u003eThe Smart Neandertha\u003c\/em\u003el casts a new light on the Neanderthals and the \"Cognitive Revolution\". Finlayson argues that there was no revolution and, instead, modern behaviour arose gradually and independently among different populations of Modern Humans and Neanderthals. Some practices were even adopted by Modern Humans from the Neanderthals. Finlayson overturns classic narratives of human origins, and raises important questions about who we really are.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Clive Finlayson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0198797524\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780198797524\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/01\/2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 240\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.90lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.61h x 5.68w x 0.96d","brand":"Clive Finlayson","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44047735587071,"sku":"9780198797524","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_03068e0b-ccdf-40a5-9bba-5eb759ce6757.jpg?v=1684991893","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-smart-neanderthal-clive-finlayson-9780198797524","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}