Interest in the events taking place in ancient times does not weaken until today. And this is understandable: the most ancient and ancient people, although they differed from us in appearance and way of life, are our ancestors. Evolution did not stop for a moment, transforming living beings on planet Earth, turning one kind of people into others.
One of the finds of archaeologists, made relatively recently, made it possible to find out that in addition to the well-known Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals, there was another species of primitive man, who was called Homo Heidelbergensis. How does this rational being differ from others? What discoveries did archaeologists and anthropologists make while examining its remains? We will try to answer these questions in this article.
When and by whom was Heidelberg Man discovered
The fossil man, called "Heidelberg", would have been discovered by the German scientist Schötenzack at the beginning of the 20th century near a smalltown of Heidelberg. That is why it was given this name. The depth of the fossil remains was about 24 meters from the surface of the earth. Heidelberg man, or rather his jaw, combined both primitive features (massiveness and lack of a chin protrusion) and signs of modern man (teeth structure).
Scientists have come to the conclusion that this kind of primitive intelligent being lived in the era of the early Pleistocene (about 420 thousand ago). This was also indicated by fragments of the bodies of an ancient rhinoceros, horses, lions and bison, located with the remains.
The study of skull fragments allowed not only to find out what the Heidelberg man looked like (the appearance of primitive people, as we know, can tell a lot), but also to make other, more important discoveries. We will talk about them a little later, but now let's try to understand what this human ancestor looked like outwardly.
Intended Appearance
Heidelberg man, according to scientists, in appearance was not much different from the same Sinanthropus and Pithecanthropus. A sloping forehead, deep-set eyes, protruding massive jaws are considered a characteristic feature of the people of that era. The width of the spinal column, similar in structure to the Neanderthal, led to the conclusion that this intelligent creature moved on its hind limbs, that is, on its feet, just like a modern person. The height of the Heidelberg man was somewhat larger than that of the Neanderthal, but less than that of the Cro-Magnon man, who wasclosest in skeletal structure to modern man.
Conditions for the existence of Heidelberg man
Heidelberg man, judging by the location of his remains, lived in natural caves, as well as other places where you could hide from bad weather and predators. Representatives of this type of ancient people already knew how to use primitive tools. This is evidenced by pieces of artificially processed silicon found next to the fossil remains, which, most likely, were used as scrapers and knives.
The most ancient and ancient people everywhere were engaged in gathering and hunting animals, and the type of person referred to in this article was no exception. In its habitats, archaeologists found animal bones, which, apparently, were eaten by the Heidelberg people.
Heidelberg Man Activities
This type of primitive man was inherent in living in a society of his own kind. The Heidelberg people created large groups, so it was easier for them to hunt, raise offspring and simply survive in that harsh era. Heidelberg man knew how to make primitive clothes from skins, the found remains of animal skins testify to this. Based on this, we can safely say that this species used tools not only from stone fragments, but also bones of fish and animals (needles, awls, etc.).
Did the Heidelberg man have his own language?
As we know, in ancient times there werevarious kinds of people. Evolution "worked" not only on their appearance, but also on what today is called communicative abilities, that is, the ability to communicate. The structure of the jaw and later found fragments of the skulls of the Heidelberg people allowed scientists to conclude that they had the ability to make articulate sounds, that is, to speak. The structure of the diaphragm, jaws and spinal canal also suggests that this human ancestor was able not only to make primitive sounds, but also to form syllables from them and adjust the volume of pronunciation. Of course, in this case we can talk about a set of 10 words, no more. Nevertheless, this fact allows us to speak of the Heidelberg man as a rational humanoid being capable of recognizing the sound signals of his fellow tribesmen, and therefore interacting with them at the level of reason, not instincts.
Cannibalism in the society of the Heidelberg man: food tradition or ritual?
Described above, although it is an amazing discovery, but still some moments of the life of the Heidelberg man struck archaeologists and anthropologists even more. The fact is that, along with the gnawed animal bones, scientists discovered the bones of primitive people, which, according to the traces left on them, were simply gnawed. Was the already intelligent and rudimentary primitive man a cannibal? Yes it is. Although, by the number of bones found, it cannot be argued that the Heidelberg people daily atesimilar. Most likely, cannibalism was part of some kind of ritual, since the bones of human victims, unlike the remains of animals, lay separately from the rest of the found fragments.
Heidelberg people are of great value in the study of primitive society and human evolution. This find is still fraught with many mysteries that will surely be solved.
