The Mate

A post written by a dear friend known as P.W., with additions and changes from yours truly.

Southern Europe, +/- 35,000 ya 

Durak, the mammoth hunter, had been away from his tribe for nearly two moons.  During the recent cold time, a sickness had taken many people from his tribe, most of them women. Now, there were no women for him in his own village, so he must steal a woman from another tribe if he was to have a mate. Durak, and several other men had all left the tribe to search for other clans and villages that might have women. All the others had returned back to the tribe except for Durak. Finally he had found a village, far away in the warm lands.  These people were slender and tall, with hair the color of the sun. He was now lying in the tall grass on a ridge, looking down on a small village of the people with sun colored hair.. After watching these strange, tall people for three suns, he had decided  upon a young woman who had hair that looked like the sun as it rose in the morning..  He had seen her bathing with other women, cooking with them, but no man made company with her.  She slept and worked in the hut that was almost on the edge of the village.

Tonight was the night to get her; the moon was dark and a warm breeze blew in from the south.  These people were quiet at night, having no dogs or guards around the village; only a single man who occasionally added wood to the fire. As darkness fell he slowly worked his way into the village and into the hut. By the light of the small central fire in the hut, Durak could see the women were all asleep  Silently and quickly he gagged then bound first the wrists then the ankles of the sun-hair woman. Although she moaned and whimpered through the gag, the other women slept on.  She tried to hit Durak with her bound fists, and kick with her legs, but he was stronger.  Quickly he lifted her, and ducked out of the hut. Just as Durak was about to step into the safety of the surrounding forest he heard one of the old women shriek in rage, waking the whole village.   Despite his burden he ran, dodging the shapes of  fallen trees and boulders on the ground, hearing  the sound of men yelling and women screaming.  Suddenly he heard swishes in the air, and the thwack as the arrows hit the trees and land around him.  As he ran, trying to blend into the darkness, he felt a sharp prick in his upper left arm.  With a grunt of surprise and pain he ran faster, even as his burden began twisting and throwing her weight around.  He abruptly changed his course through the forest and slowed down . Soon he was rewarded by the sound of pursuit going in the wrong direction. Durak slowed to a walk and finally stopped as the first rays of sunlight began to break through the forest.  Only then did he notice that the arrow had only sliced the fleshy part of his upper arm. The woman had long since ceased to struggle. He laid her on the ground and saw that she was uninjured, she looked up at him in fear, hate and something else. Durak removed the bonds from the ankles and the gag from her mouth. He kept his hand ready to cover her mouth if she tried to call out, but she was quiet, glaring at him. So he reached down and gently rubbed her ankles where the bindings had cut deeply into her flesh and was rewarded with the sight of color returning to her feet. Durak raised the woman to her feet and motioned for her to follow, all the time watching for her to try and run, but she did not. She just lowered her head and followed as he lead the way.

By midday Durak had found a good place to sleep for a few hours near a small stream. For a while now he had felt dizzy at times. Even so, he kept an eye on his captive as she followed but not once did she try and run away. His arm was throbbing from the cut he had received from the arrow and when he looked down at the cut he noticed that it was still bleeding and also that there were red lines radiating out from the wound. He Knew that this was bad and without a skilled shaman he could become very ill or even die. He began to feel hotter than the warmth of the sun, yet shivering as sweat began pouring off his body. Durak went to the stream to wash the wound as best he could. As he bent down his vision blurred, his knees became week and he fell; try as he might he could not stand. The woman just stood and watched. As darkness filled Durak's eyes he thought he saw the woman approaching him and reach for his stone knife.

Lua woke up startled, there was a large hand over her mouth.  Before she could cry out a foul-tasting gag was placed in her mouth and tightly tied around her head.  As she tried to scream and fight, her wrists, then her ankles were bound. She realized that she could not fight whoever this was so she relaxed and waited. A large dark haired man lifted her up as if she weighed nothing and silently carried her out into the night. Then as the village came alive with the realization that she was missing , the man began to run as if he wasn’t even carrying her. She tried to throw him off balance, but he only held her tighter.  He ran at first at first and then walked with her all night and only stopped to rest as daylight began to show through the trees. When he put her down she thought that she would be killed if she fought. But the powerful stranger only removed the bonds from her feet and the gag from her mouth and gently rubbed life back into her numb tingling feet. He then motioned for her to follow, which she did. She saw the cut on his arm and knew that it had been made by a poisoned arrow from her tribe. Having worked with the shaman, she knew how to stop the poison.  There were certain plants, growing everywhere here in these woods that would heal him. Yet she walked on, watching him. While he had not hurt her, the powerful dark haired man had taken her from her village, her people.  She saw the wound on his arm turn a bright red, the lines spreading outward. She saw him wobbling as he walked. It wouldn't be long now, so she followed him and didn't run home...yet.

The sun was straight overhead when the large dark haired man stopped by a small stream to rest. As he bent to get water she watched him fall and struggle to rise. Lua walked over to the large man and took his stone knife. She worked the knife around until she could cut the bonds around her wrists. As she watched the man finally go to sleep, Lua took a drink from the stream and turned back into the forest to find her way back to her village. The man who tried to take her could stay in the stream and die. After a short time she started to think about the large dark haired man.  He had not really harmed her or threatened her. She recalled his face as he had rubbed her ankles.  There was something very gentle in his touch, in his sad brown eyes.  Without understanding why, she turned around and went back to him, picking the plants she would need as she went.  She soon found the dark haired man where she had left him. Grinding the plants she picked on a large stone, she mixed in some water and made a green, pleasant smelling paste. With a large leaf she covered the wound with the paste, tying it up with the remains of the cord that had bound her wrists.  Pulling the man further away from the stream, she placed him on his side, listening to his breathing.  It was slow, and the color on his face was very white.  Gathering dry twigs and branches, she found some fire-stones and soon she had a small but warm fire crackling.  Sitting beside the man, she pulled his dark hairy head onto her lap, and began humming a soft, simple song.

The Neighbors

Humans face Neanderthals across the Danube

Danube River valley  =/- 40,000 ya

            Muka trudged through the brush and trees in the gray light of dawn.  He stopped sometimes, using his spear handle to gently part the grass or low branches on a bush.  Then he would move forward again, his large head swinging from side to side, sniffing the air.  Almost every morning, just as it was getting light, he would walk like this, a different route every day.

            Approaching a small meadow, he slowed, inhaling the air.  Going completely still behind a small shaking tree, he peered between the branches.  There were four deer, quietly munching on grass.  Muka knew he could hit the one closest to him. She was small, but it would be enough to eat for him and the clan. He raised his spear slowly, taking one final sniff-

            --and stopped short. Smoke, different smoke, was in the air.  His own home was high on the ridge behind him, and all the smoke was going upward in the still morning.  This smell was different.

            The deer forgotten, Muka stood quietly, inhaling the air again, and looking for the signs of a big fire. It couldn’t be too large, as none of the animals or birds were fleeing the area. The deer had even been calm. The smell was strongest in the direction away from the meadow, and toward the fast water.

            Even more slowly, he followed the odor to the edge of the water. Hiding behind a large tree he looked up and down the edge. Now he was hearing some odd noises, like several little ones calling and crying out. Suddenly he heard a male voice, but making noises he had never heard. 

            Crawling out on his knees, he cautiously searched for the source of the noises.  He found them. The sight made him fall flat on his stomach, and his mouth was open.

            On the other edge of the fast water was another meadow, ringed with trees. In it were strange wood objects that were tall, like trees in the cold time.  A large fire burned in the center, and two tall figures were holding a pig carcass over the flames.  Several small ones were indeed running around and making all sorts of noise. Muka was sure there would be no game around for  a long ways with all these strange loud sounds.

            A tall figure, who sounded male, came among the small ones.  He made two of them follow him to the edge of the fast water.  He gave each of them a small sharp spear. Then he walked into the fast water up to his knees. Muka was shocked. When one entered the fast water, one fell in and was gone. This tall one stayed, standing still, not falling in.

            The tall one held his spear for what seemed a long time, then plunged it into the fast water.  When he brought it out, there was a water animal flapping on the end.  The two small ones stood in the water and watched, trying to copy the tall one.  One of them plunged his spear in and toppled over, falling into the fast water.

            Muka was startled and cried out.  Not sure how, he found himself standing.  The other small turned quickly and seeing Muka, froze. The tall one went into the fast water and helped the fallen small one back onto the land.  Muka gasped aloud.  This time the tall one heard it too.  The three of them turned and looked straight at Muka.

            Tapoh laughed as his son, Tipunu, tried to get the hang of fishing.  Tipunu came out wet, but with a smile on his face.

            “A fish, big!”

            “Tipunu learns.” Tapoh patted him on the shoulder, proud. Then he heard a strange sound.

            Across the river, his large face in shock, was a heavy set stranger. His hair was long and matted.  He wore no clothes and  held a very simple spear. Tapoh stared, and the stranger stared back.  After a long moment, Tapoh raised his hand in greeting.

            Muka scurried away, terrified. What were these creatures,  tall, with power over fast water and water animals?  When the tall one had raised his hand, Muka was terrified that he would have power over him as well. Muka ran the entire distance  back to his cave, his clan, scared of something he could not understand.

Giant Stone Axe

http://phys.org/news171790409.html

… the discovery of the first of what are believed to be the world’s largest stone tools on the bed of the lake...Four giant stone hand axes, measuring over 30 cm long and of uncertain age, were recovered from the lake basin.

 

Maybe 100,000 years ago, the dry basin of Lake Makgadikgadi in the Kalahari Desert.…

Waki was almost finished. He was relieved and yet a little sad.  He was relieved because this work had taken time and was heavy. His back ached and his fingers were raw, and cut in some places. He was sad because it meant his son was now a man, and would face a man’s dangers.

He squinted at the sun.  It was starting down.  When night came this stone axe, a gift for his son, would be finished.  Waki adjusted his feet amongst the flint chips, barely noticing yet another small cut.  When a man worked the stone as Waki did, a man got cut.

There was a noise in back with the people.  Waki’s mate and children, her sister and her mate, their children, and Waki’s younger brother were the people.  His mate’s mother had been with them until the last rainfall, when she had fallen asleep for the last time.  They were a small people, but all was well as they hunted along the lake. 

The noise grew louder; Waki’s mate was wailing. Waki lifted his head, then stood up slowly, his aching knees refusing to move as fast as he needed them to.  He walked to the people.  His brother was dragging a long tall animal behind him.  It was lean and brown, with fresh blood…as he got closer, Waki saw that it was his son. One look and he could see that his son, who had been Waga, had gotten too close to a lion.  Waki looked at his brother.

“Grothr” the one word made sense.  A female lion, probably protecting her young.

Waki hung his head.  He couldn’t look at his wailing mate, or his other children. Instead, he went back to his stones.  He picked up the stone axe he had been shaping as a fine gift for Waga.  

He finished it, hearing the heart wrenching wails of his mate until the sun was almost down.  He picked up the fine stone axe.  Large because Waga was large.  Large because Waki felt a great sense of goodness for his young man-son.  He went to Waga’s still body.  Over the head he held the great stone axe.  He lifted it to the sky and his bellow to the sky was bloodcurdling.  He roared again, shaking the axe against the twilight and the quiet stars. He turned, and purposefully strode to the edge of the lake.  In sorrow, anger and unanswered rage he threw the stone axe to the bottom.

The Makapansgat Face

I first discovered this a few days ago in the wonderful post by Abroad in the Yard:
http://www.abroadintheyard.com/26000-years-of-capturing-the-human-face/

 Wikipedia on Makapansgat Pebble
 


 My take on how this fist-sized cobble found its way at least 4 kilometers away from its natural source to a cave which has evidence of habitation by Australopithecus africanus.  The biggest challenge in writing something like this is the aspect of the language.  While they must have communicated somehow, it certainly wasn't in English, nor in complete sentences.  As I did with the Ancient Meat Eaters post, I'll write below my take of the concepts of this individual.

South Africa, +/- Two and Half Million Years Ago

She walked through the brush slowly.   In her left arm she carried her new young, suckling him occasionally.   Her mate was behind her, poking around the grasses for roots.  The sun was getting bright and hot.  She was thirsty, and was relieved to hear the stream running ahead of her.
With a soft call to her mate, she walked ahead to the stream. 
She knew this place, and had come here before.  The shore was rocky and hurt her feet unless she walked very slowly.  On one end the grasses grew thick and high.  She carefully picked her way here, sniffing the air as she did so.  It smelled safe. She listened carefully; there were no dangerous sounds.
 Once at the grasses she grabbed a handful with her free hand and bent them.  Then she did this again.  As they got lower she started stepping on them and mashing them further down. She stepped in this and made sure it was to her liking.  Bending down she took her sleeping infant and put him in the nest.  For a moment she stayed on all four limbs, looking down at him. 
Standing up and turning around, she sniffed the air again.  Cautiously, she walked to the water.  A little way above her, the stream fell over a few rocks. Here though, it flowed gently, making a small pool before continuing down to the tall place.  Stooping on all fours again, she looked at the water.  The water was strange, showing another who she didn't know.  This one always did what she did.  They smelled and tasted like water...not dangerous.  She dipped her hand into the water and brought it to her mouth eagerly, drinking and sucking her fingers.  She did this again, turning back to check on her infant as she drank.  Her mate joined her, going straight to the stream, ignoring the infant.
The last time she drank she startled, a short bark escaping her dripping mouth.  In the water was another one. This one seemed to grin at her, then scowl as the water flowed over it.  For some time she watched this one.  Her mate had alerted to her call, standing and sniffing the air about him. When he saw her staring at the water, he relaxed.  He sidled over to her and tried to see what had her attention so focused.  Cautiously, she poked a finger in the water.  The other one disappeared for a moment, then came back.  She poked again this time touching it.  It was hard, a rock.  Perhaps this one was stone.  She put her entire hand in the water and touched it.  Round, smooth except for the face, it fit in her hand comfortably.  She closed her fingers around the stone one and brought it out of the water.
This time a real scream escaped her.  This one was like blood.  In fear she stumbled to her two feet and fell backwards.  She scrambled to her infant who had woken at her scream and was now crying.
Her mate looked at this one, and touched it.  He picked it up, then with a grunt, tossed it back to the ground.  He stood up and went back to the grasses, eternally searching for food.
For some time she sat with her infant suckling him.  She sniffed the air for danger, but sensed nothing.  Yet something was different.
After a while her infant slept again.  Putting him gently into the nest, she crawled over to the stone one.  It wasn't as deep as blood now. She touched it then picked it up, looking at it.  Hard and still, it looked back at her.  It was somehow familiar, like one who had been gone a long time.
She sniffed the stone one, then tasted it.  The stone one didn't move.  She held it for a long time, then put it near her sleeping infant.
Taking a final drink from the stream, she stood up on her two feet and sniffed the air again.  She listened intently for animal sounds.  It was quiet.  She gathered her sleeping infant in her left arm and stood up to leave.
After a moment, she bent down and picked up the Stone One.  She had to find her mate, and take the Stone One to the other ones.  Many times on the way back to the safe place she looked at the Stone One.  And it always looked back at her.

What follows is my take on her thoughts, which I feel would be more like concepts.

Hot, thirsty. Safe. Baby safe. Thirsty. Thirsty place near. Mate!  Need all limbs, put baby safe.
Stop thirsty, see other one, stop thirsty.  Different one! Danger? Different one still...hard. Hold this one.  Blood! Blood! Danger! Baby baby! Baby safe. Baby safe.  No danger.  Different one...not blood. Different one...know? Stop thirst. Baby. Different one...take to safe place.

Caveprints...

Ancient footprints in Pyrenees Cave

Image from http://neanderthal.de/blog/

I cannot wait for July 17, when the findings from this interesting and informative project are released!  I'm going on the presumption (for now) these are ancient Homo Sapiens prints.  If the results are that they're Neanderthal, well then that's another blog! Update: another article about these prints dated them to 13000 years ago...so that takes care of any Neanderthal prints. Dern it...

Cave in the Pyrenees, +/- 13,000 years ago

The sun was going down, but there was still time to finish the meet, and walk to the fires.  Mato and Vako stood still, pondering.  Vako's son of nine winters, Vaki, walked back and forth, practicing his spear stance.  Mato stood quietly, looking at the cave floor.  His held his spear in his quiet hand, gripping it firmly.  Vako saw that Mato put weight on the foot and spear side.  Mato would not say it, but he was was getting tired.  As Mato had no sons any more, Vako and his son Vaki were next to lead. 

Vako turned his head to the lowering sun again, still waiting for Mato to speak.   Vaki continued pacing back and forth.  At length he stopped and wandered to the Wall of the Old Ones.  Mato's father, and his father before him had left their Hands on the Wall.  Vaki reached out to measure his hand against one of them.

"Ssst!" hissed Vako.  Vaki turned and his father was signaling for him to sit down.  Vaki did so, he hadn't planned to touch the handprints...that was taboo, and would bring bad luck to the Leader.  

Mato glanced up, broken from his thoughts.  He shook his head sadly at the boy, but there was just a glimmer of a smile.  Mato had understood it was just curiosity.

With a heavy sigh, Mato walked over.  He gestured with his working hand for Vaki to leave. Vaki was already on his feet before glancing at his father.  Vako reached out and put a strong hand on Vaki's shoulder, ushering him outside the cave.

Mato stood in front of the Wall of the Old Ones.  Something in him knew he could touch the hands now.  Looking to be sure Vaki and Vako could not see him, he reached out.  He touched his father's hand, now smaller than his own.  He touched his father's father's hand, which was even smaller.  Mato touched all the hands on the Wall of the Old Ones.  He felt like a huge weight had been lifted. 

Quietly, he pulled out the rolled leather he had carried up with him.  Kneeling on the floor, he made sure all the objects were still there.  Two hollow bones.  A piece of red crumbling stone.  A small old dried gourd, that held a precious amount of spring water.  A small stone, hollowed in the middle from generations of use.  A smaller oblong stone.

Mato had only seen this done once before, when his father's father had done this.  The green time his father had done it, he had been away on a hunt.  He had come back, feeling proud that he and the other warriors had found and killed an adult mammoth, only to find his father had died.  A rogue bear had come out of the woods.  Even though his father was a great hunter and great leader, that day he had been too slow.  Some had said his father waited for the beast to get him.  Mato had felt great grief that his father couldn't put his hand on the Wall.  Then, he saw the faded red stains on his fathers working hand.  This red wasn't blood.  Somehow, his father had known.

And now, Mato knew.  He felt tired in his bones.  He felt the cold winter coming.  He did not care if he saw the next green time, or not.  Since he had lost his mate and sons, little interested him as it had before.  And so, he readied himself to put up his hand.

He ground the red stone, adding water a drop at a time, until it was right. He carefully poured the mixture into one of the hollow bones.  Carefully, he stood up, and put his working hand amongst the Wall of the Old Ones.  He then stopped.

"Vaki" he called.

Vaki appeared at the opening of the cave, his eyes big.

"Come" Mato spoke firmly, gesturing with  his head.

Vaki came in slowly, in awe of what he was about to witness.  An arm's length away from Mato,  he stopped.  Mato positioned his working hand on the wall until it felt right.  Using his quiet hand, he put the hollow bone stuffed with the red stone mixture into his mouth.  He breathed in deeply through his nose, then blew the red onto his hand.  His thumb and first two fingers were covered in red.

"More." he said to Vaki.  Vaki looked at the objects and with a little prompting from Mato, filled the second hollow bone with the remaining mixture.  Mato blew again.  This time it all his fingers were covered.  Very slowly, Mato pulled away his hand.

Both Mato and Vaki gasped quietly.  Seeing a fresh hand on the Wall of the Old Ones was a powerful experience.

After a little, Mato turned to Vaki and smiled.  He put out his hand and Vaki took it.  Gently, he put Vaki's hand into his freshly made one, being ever so careful not to touch the fresh red spray.  He then had Vaki touch the other hands of the Wall of the Old Ones.

Quietly, they picked up the objects and wrapped them in the leather.  Mato stood straighter than he had in a long time.  He gave the leather roll to Vaki to carry. Vako's eyes widened when he saw the two emerge from the cave.  He gave a quiet nod to Mato, who pretended he didn't see it. He went to smile at Vaki, but Vaki had his head turned, looking at the cave, seeing the footprints they'd left.

As they walked down the mountain to the fires, Mato absently scratched an itch on his chest with  his freshly stained red hand.

Vaki saw, and was sad to see there would be blood on Mato sometime soon.

Early Burial

http://humanorigins.si.edu/resources/whats-hot/mystery-pit-bones-atapuerca-spain
Possible rendition of Homo Heidelbergensis

Northern Spain, =/-300,000 years ago

Ra was in front.  Ru was behind him.  They had seen the young mammoth that had gotten lost from the other mammoths.  This mammoth would be great food for the rest.  The cold time was coming too, and fur was needed to keep warm when the fires went low.
Ra and Ru had gone out together for many cold and warm times.  Most times they would get good food for the women and babies.  Today would be another good day.
The young mammoth trumpeted mournfully, lost and looking for its family.  Ra heard the sadness of it, but food was more important.  Soon, the mammoth would be  near the big rocks, and Ra and Ru could run down and throw their spears.  The rocks were not a full trap, as the water cliffs a day away were, but a confused animal could stay there enough time to be killed.
Ra waited.  He could hear Ru creeping quietly behind him.  Ra put out a hand, and Ru would know that they would not run now, but soon.
The young mammoth walked into the large rocks, Ra waved Ru to follow, and began to run.  As he ran he heard a thud and shortened scream behind him but did not pay attention.  The young mammoth was near and it was time to throw spears.  Ra threw his spear with a ferocious cry toward the mammoth.  It hit the mammoths flank, stayed for a moment, then fell off.  Ra yelled in frustration, and waited for Ru to throw.  But no other spear came.  The young mammoth bellowed in surprise and fury.  Stumbling around the rocks, it found a way out.  The wound on ints flank bled, but would not kill it.  In the far distance, Ra could hear the other mammoths trumpeting in reply.  Ra picked up his spear, and turned to find Ru.
Ru was lying face down, his head at an odd angle on a small rock.  His spear was on the ground in front of him.  Ra grunted, "Rrruu."
No response.  Ra kicked him in the ribs.  Ru didn't move.  Ra looked more closely.  Ru was not moving and his breath was gone.  Ra grunted and sat down next to Ru in confusion.  Ru would not help him on this hunt.
Ra stood up after the sun had moved.  He turned to walk back to their home of the cold time, a cave in the small mountain.  He walked a few steps, then turned and looked again at Ru.  He turned and walked again.  A bird's harsh cry made him turn and look back at Ru.  The bird was large, and was sitting on Ru, pecking at his head.  Not knowing why, Ra charged at the bird and waved him off.  He sat awhile more.  Ru would not move again, but Ra felt alone without him. With a grunt, not unlike the mournful cry of the lost mammoth, he stood up then bent and grabbed Ru's arms.  He dragged Ru back to the home of the cold time.
 Ra and Ru had always come here for the cold time.  Ra knew what to do when he returned.
Their was silence from everyone when they saw Ru being dragged by Ra.  Ra dragged him all the way through the cave to the back.  With another anguished grunt, he threw his brother down into the pit that went into the black.  No birds would peck at him here.

Ancient Meat Eaters...

Early Meat Eating 

the African savannahs, +/- 2 million years ago...

It was hot.  He wiped the sweat out of his eyes.  It was time for food and he was going to get it.  Noises had come earlier from the far tree, and he was making his way there now.  Slowly and carefully, so as not to surprise any predators into hunting him.  A snarl reached him from the far tree...good, that meant there was still food from it.
He held his sharp stone in his hand.  He took a step and then...
...a gazelle jumped in front of him.  He froze, knowing that such activity meant the gazelle was being chased.  She disappeared into the brush.  A moment later a large cat ran by, chasing the gazelle.  He waited...then followed the lion.  Close by the sounds of the fatal encounter came to a squealing halt.  Very slowly, he approached, making sure the wind was in his face.  The fresh blood and meat reached his nostrils and he inhaled slowly.  It was too much.
Bending down and picking up a fist-sized rock, he then charged into the cat's feast, screaming at the top of his lungs.
As the snarling cat turned to face him, he lobbed the rock into its face.  With a bitter scream the cat retreated a few feet, snarling as it did so.
He grabbed the warm gazelle, and the cat began to follow.  Screaming back at the cat he saw one of the legs was almost off, thanks to the cats teeth.  Quickly he ripped it off and tossed it at the approaching cat.
He lifted the remains of the gazelle onto his shoulders and ran for his life back to the others.  Blood running into his eyes was so much better than sweat, he thought.

I write rather quickly, correcting my errors as I go.  The result isn't always fantastic.  My big problem with writing this, is that of course a Homo Erectus wouldn't think, talk, or otherwise communicate in English, or even in the fully formed and reasoned sentences we do.  Hence, what follows is solely my interpretation of the same story, totally in the character's linguistic/communicative/thinking perspective...


Hot. Eyes sting. Hungry, hungry.  Far tree food noise...food noise.  Step slow, slow.
FREEZE!  Close food noise...slow slow step.  Danger...hungry hungry. DANGER! Throw! Danger...food, hungry.  Danger..hungry...danger food.  Step fast fast!  Hungry Hungry!
Food.. eyes sting.

Neanderthal-Homo Sapians Love Child?

http://news.discovery.com/human/evolution/neanderthal

Fascinating subject matter.  What follows is just an idea of what may have happened.... 
...in a forested valley, in what is now Italy...=/-40,000 years ago...

Kuti was unhappy.  He wanted to mate, but the clan had rejected him.  Every time he approached a female in his clan they yelled at him and threw rocks to discourage him.  The men didn't like him either.  On the last two hunts his spear had not only missed, it had hit Dirok, the son of the Leader. Dirok had lived, but now walked slowly and breathed loudly.  The Leader had hit Kuti's head so hard he now couldn't hear on that side.  He ate last, even after the old ones and small girls.

Today Kuti was wandering through the forest, in hopes of finding some food.  He had found a few berries, but not enough for his growling belly and certainly not enough to take back to the clan.
His sense of frustration grew.  On the ground was a rock and he picked it up and threw it with a an anguished grunt.  To his surprise he heard a scream.  Scrambling through the brush he found one of the Others.  His rock had hit her on the leg, leaving it cut and bruised.

But Kuti didn't concern himself with that.  This Other was a female and not going anywhere.  She was ugly, as the Others were.  Big forehead, short bushy hair, stocky. The females in Kuti's clan were slender and had long flowing hair which he liked.  Now though, he felt the urge to mate.  Roughly he pushed the Other female back and mated her.  At first she screamed, but then quieted down.  After he was done he looked at her leg.  He motioned for her to stay and went to find some moss.  Gently he ground the moss in his hand and rubbed where his stone had hit her.

"Kuti" he said, pointing to himself. 
"Kuuii" she repeated back.  "Taa" she hit herself in the chest gently.

Kuti met with Taa twice more, and then she disappeared.

Nine moons later Taa woke up with pain in her belly.  Grunting and screaming, she gave birth to a child.  This child was different and her clan rejected both her and the child.   They survived in the forest for awhile, then Taa died of starvation.  The child cried and yelled, but Taa didn't move and she cried for a long time.  She finally crawled to the rock where they had slept, and fell asleep, never waking up again.

Welcome to Ancient Agendas

Hello! Welcome to Ancient Agendas.  First of all, I want to say here that I am absolutely NOT a scientist.  Of any sort.  As much as I like Anthropology, Archeology, Paleontology,  and Linguistics, I just cannot get into a logical mindset about any of them.  When I see a headline about the possibility of Neanderthal art, or charred bones that proved ancient hominids were cooking long before agriculture, my very intelligent response is "Wow, keeewwwwlll..."

And so, lacking any formal education in any of the above fields of study, and never having worked on a dig, I am anyway and anyhow going to blog.  As in the description, which says in full, "..A non-scientific blog about our ancestors, and what they did, or might have done", my blogging intention here is to take that "Wow, keeewwwwlll..." and turn it into something that is hopefully entertaining, thought-provoking, original, and even plausible.

Comments here or to auraburrows@gmail.com are welcome.  And may I say here, again reminding my readers this is non-scientific, if I occasionally put a bow and arrow into the arms of a Neanderthal, or have homo habilis cooking in ceramic pots, well, the error is unintentional...except for the 2 previously mentioned, those are intentional.  If one is completely  new to the world of  prehistory, then realize I've just given cell-phones to the ancient Greeks.

Enjoy.