Naslov
Paleontology-basis for understanding human aggressiveness

Autori
Peitl, Antun ; Pavlović, Eduard ; Pavlović, Ivan ; Marohnić, Đurđica ; Vučić Peitl, Marija

Izvornik
Neurologia Croatica. Proceedings 44th International Neuropsychiatric Pula Symposium, Supplement1 (1331-5196) 53 (2004); 150-151

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, osvrt, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Pleistocene hominids; Krapina; Sandalja; aggressiveness

Sažetak
Background: Paleoanthropological methods help us to comprehend human evolution. They are multidisciplinary. Aim: This study tries to find out the level and type of aggressiveness by analyzing osteological remains of fossil hominids. They were found in the two most important localities with the remains of Pleistocene hominids in Croatia (Krapina and Sandalja). Materials and methods: In Krapina there is the famous finding place of Homo neanderthalensis and Sandalja is the famous place of the group of Homo sapiens fossils-who lived at the same time as the last Nearderthal men from Krapina. In the description of the human osteological remains the adequate international anatomic nomenclature was applied and rich comparative osteological and odontological materials were used in defining individual human bones. These are all stored in the Geological-Paleonthologica Museum in Zagreb i.e. in the geological-paleonthologica collection and the Laboratory for rocky soil of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts and in the Institute of anatomy of Medical School, University of Zagreb. Results: The majority of the bones of human ancestors from Krapina are broken. There isn't any integral skull or jaw. Big bones of the extremities like femur and tibia are fragmental in the form of long callottes. A part of the frontal bone is burned by fire and the other part is intact. All skeletal parts gathered in Sandalja are fragmental, except for four isolated teeth and two phalanges of the hands. Discussion: Although this is not certain indicator that the hunan ancestor from Krapina could have been a cannibal, this possibility should still be taken into consideration. Neither of the long bones was found intact, i.e. the bone with marrow. So we can presume that the ancestor from Krapina broke raw bones in order to prevent melting of the marrow by fire. Considering that in cannibalism burned and partially charred bones can always be found, it can be presumed that the ancestors from Sandalja could have been surprised and attacked by a stronger group of Paleolithic hunters who killed them and then maybe ate them. Conslusion: Regarding the fragmentariness and dissipation in the stratum, the collected osteological reamains from the finging places of fossil hominids in Croatia (Krapina-the continental part of Croatia, and Sandalja near Pula-the Adriatic part of Croatia) lead us to cannibalism, but also to intra-human fight and killing, which was a rather frequent phenomenon among human populations of the Upper Pleistocene. References: 1. Gorjanović-Kramberger D. [Life and culture of the diluvial man from Krapina in Croatia-in Croatian].Rad JAZU, 1913. 2. Malez M. [Findings places of fossil hominids in Croatia-in Croatian].Geološki vjesnik 1965 ; 18:309-324. 3. Malez M. [Remains of the fossil man from Upper Pleistocene in Sandalja near Pula (Istria)-in Croatian].Paleontologia Jugoslavica 1972, 12:5-32.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Temeljne medicinske znanosti, Kliničke medicinske znanosti, Etnologija i antropologija

POVEZANOST RADA