In Search of the Neanderthals: Solving the Puzzle of Human Origins

A survey of the current anthropological and archeological knowledge about Neanderthals examines their relationship to modern humans

Compared with Erik Trinkhaus and Pat Shipman's The Neandertals ( LJ 12/92), which traces the history of Neanderthal discoveries, this book is more concerned with current interpretations of the fossil record. English anthropologists Stringer and Gamble hope to settle the controversy over the Neanderthals' proper branch on humanity's family tree by taking their case to a general audience. They marshall the evidence in favor of the "Out of Africa 2" scenario, contending that Neanderthal populations in Europe and the Middle East were replaced by a second African migration between 130,000 and 50,000 years ago. Neanderthals, therefore, are not directly ancestral to modern humans. The authors make a strong case for their interpretations, but they offer little more than a caricature of competing theories. Still, this is an important and readable book, with many good illustrations. Recommended for academic and public libraries.
- Eric Hinsdale, Trinity Univ. Lib., San Antonio
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.