Neanderthals Hunted, Raped & Ate Humans

note: interesting theory about the roots of human violence and sexuality. m

NEANDERTHALS HUNTED, RAPED AND ATE HUMANS
Scoop World
September 18, 2009

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0909/S00246.htm

Neanderthals were not the gentle, almost-human creatures portrayed in the
media over the last 50 years. New Australian research reveals they were
aggressive, powerful and terrifying carnivores — ruthless and efficient
apex predators, who hunted, raped and ate early humans for over 50,000
years. The Neanderthal’s daily diet of nearly 2 kg of meat — the equivalent
of 16 Quarter Pounders — included human flesh.

Based on the research, Australian independent scholar Danny Vendramini has
developed “Neanderthal predation theory”, which argues that the evolution of
modern humans — including our unique physiology, sexuality and human nature
— is the result of a reaction to this systematic long-term sexual predation
and cannibalism by Eurasian Neanderthals.

Vendramini’s forthcoming book “Them and Us: how Neanderthal predation
created modern humans”, describes how the human population of the
Mediterranean Levant — the population from which every human on earth is
descended — was almost wiped out by Neanderthal predation, until there were
only 50 human individuals left in the region. He illustrates how those 50
survivors salvaged humankind from annihilation by transforming into
aggressive and predatory beings that fought back — spreading across the
globe, killing (and sometimes eating) all Neanderthals in their path, as
well as ‘Neanderthal-looking’ hominids, until Neanderthals themselves became
extinct.

Vendramini describes this global migration through Europe, Africa, Asia and
Australia and the Americas, as “a 20,000 kilometre blitzkrieg”. It did not
end until these hyper-aggressive humans — our ancestors the Cro Magnons —
were the only hominids left alive. “It was the first instance of evolution
by genocide”, he says.

In partnership with Madrid-based digital sculptor Arturo Balseiro,
Vendramini presents blood-curdling computer generated images of what
Neanderthals really looked like — based on 3D scans of Neanderthal skulls
and bones.

“Not only have we had the wrong impression of the nature and behaviour of
Neanderthals”, argues Vendramini, “but we have been fed sentimental,
anthropomorphic visuals of them as well. Neanderthals”, he says, “were
primates and would have looked like primates. There is no reason to suppose
they were clean-shaven with protruding noses and curly hair. These guys”, he
expounds, “came from the frozen north — they had flat, ape-like noses,
large nocturnal eyes, were covered in thick hair and were six times stronger
than the average human. They were not a pretty sight.”

Leading authority on Neanderthals, Professor John Shea of Stony Brook
University in New York, is enthusiastic about Neanderthal predation theory:
“Danny Vendramini presents a truly unique and innovative picture of the role
of Neanderthal predation in human evolution.

“He pulls together countless different threads of scientific evidence to
re-cast Neanderthals as ‘apex predators’, proverbial ‘wolves with knives’
who were effective rivals with our ancestors.

“His thesis,” continues Shea, “that many physical, social, and psychological
characteristics now seen as uniquely human are direct results of Neanderthal
predation on our ancestors will be sure to ignite controversy in scientific
meetings, university classrooms, and among any group of people genuinely
interested in human evolution.”