The researchers named one of the possible reasons for the victory of the Cro-Magnons over the Neanderthals. It was possible to answer the question after analyzing the teeth of representatives of both species.
German scientists conducted a detailed analysis of the teeth of Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals who lived in Africa and Eurasia. Damage to the teeth makes it possible to quite accurately establish what kind of food representatives of the genus Homo preferred. Eating one or another food leads to characteristic scratches on the enamel, which, in particular, can be used to determine whether the list of dishes included plant or meat foods. Even better insight into the diet is provided by tiny food particles stuck in tartar.
According to the findings of scientists, Neanderthals are a kind of "opportunists". They gave preference to the food that surrounded them. So, those who lived in the steppes ate meat, and those who moved to the forests preferred plant foods, for example, nuts. In the case of the Cro-Magnons, everything was exactly the opposite. Regardless of where they lived, their diet was about the same. Both the inhabitants of the mountains and the inhabitants of the forests of Europe can be seen similar patterns of scratches on the enamel of the teeth. However, the "culinary" habits of the Cro-Magnons were highly dependent on the level of their tools.
The University of Tübingen, Sireen El Zaatari, says that the ancestors of modern humans never drastically changed their diet. And a significant part of it has always been plant food. In the icy regions, where the Cro-Magnon man stepped, it was not always possible to find such food, so the ancestors of man went to different "tricks". Eating habits forced them to move towards more advanced tools, and this, in turn, allowed them to gain a decisive advantage over Neanderthals.
Cro-Magnon tooth and scratches on its enamel
Photo: PLoS One
In general, "culinary" predilections are far from the only explanation for the victory of the Cro-Magnons over the Neanderthals. Thus, biologist Marcus Feldman emphasizes the general cultural superiority of the former over the latter. In addition to tools, the expert drew attention to the advantage of Cro-Magnons in the matter of clothing and the organization of communities. A special model built by Feldman and his colleagues helped explain how even a small population of Cro-Magnon ancestors can crowd out the outnumbered Neanderthals.
Promotional video:
Ilya Vedmedenko