Condemi , S. - Senckenberg

18th International Senckenberg Conference 2004 in Weimar
Was the history of Middle Pleistocene peopling the same
in Western and in Eastern Europe?
SILVANA CONDEMI
CNRS, Centre de Recherche Francais de Jérusalem, P. O. Box 547, 5 Shimshon St.,
Jerusalem 91004, Israel
Directeur de Recherche, CNRS, UMR CNRS-DGRCST 9930, F-75013 Paris, France
[email protected]; [email protected]
The anthropological particularity of the
European human population during the Middle
Pleistocene, in relation to contemporary fossil
human populations in other parts of the ancient
world, may be attributed to the presence of the
Neanderthals, a population showing well-distinguished characteristics.
In Western Europe, the differentiation and
evolution of the Neanderthal lineage is well
documented by fossil specimens discovered
in France, Spain and Italy, which show features
that are undoubtedly Neanderthal. As has often
been emphasized (TRINKAUS 1988; CONDEMI 1992,
2000, 2001; DEAN et al. 1998), Western Europe
preserves a chronological sequence that permits us to reconstruct an evolutionary pattern
that occurred over an extended period (at least
450,000 years). Over the course of time, the
fossils increasingly exhibit Neanderthal traits.
In our opinion, all of these Western European
pre-Würmian fossils, beginning at about 450,000
years ago, must be considered to be pre-Neanderthals, which preceded the Würmian Neanderthals both chronologically and phylogenetically.
The presence of Neanderthal traits among these
fossils shows that the differentiation of this typical
European population was already underway.
Conversely, in terms of the peopling of
Central Europe, some authors still consider
the ancient fossils from the Holsteinian and the
“Saalian complex” to be presapiens. One such
example is the human cranium from Steinheim,
which is supposed to display a “modern” morphology (CZARNETZKI 1989; ADAM 1984). Other
authors believe that Homo erectus is present
during the same period, for example the fossils
found at the site of Bilzingsleben (MANIA & VLCEK
1981, 1987, 1993) and the human fossil from
Reilingen (ADAM 1989; CZARNETZKI 1989, 1991).
Our study of the European fossils from
both Western and Central Europe has not
led us to confirm the presence of presapiens
or Homo erectus in Central Europe (CONDEMI
1996a, 1996b, 2000, 2001). When they are sufficiently complete to permit analysis, ancient
fossils discovered in Central Europe clearly
show the evolution and diversification leading
to the Neanderthals that, far from brutal or sudden, was progressive, as in Western Europe.
We would place all the European fossils after
Mauer, from both Central and Western Europe,
in the Neanderthal lineage.
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(ed.), Ancestors: The Hard Evidence.: 272-276; New York (Alan R. Liss, Inc.).
ADAM, K.D. (1989): Alte und neue Urmenschen-Funde in Südwestdeutschland – eine kritische Würdigung. – Quartär, 39/40: 177-190; Bonn.
CONDEMI, S. (1992): Les Hommes fossiles de Saccopastore (Italie) et leurs relations phylogénétiques. –
Cah. Paléont. (Paléoanthropologie).: 190 pp.; Paris (Editions du C.N.R.S.).
CONDEMI, S. (1996a): Le statut phylogénétique du fossile de Reilingen (Baden-Württemberg, Allemagne)»- Anthropol. Préhist., 107: 17-28; Bruxelles.
CONDEMI, S. (1996b): Does the Human Fossil Specimen from Reilingen (Germany) belong to the Homo
erectus or to the Neanderthal Lineage? – Anthropologie, 34 1-2: 69-78; Brno.
CONDEMI, S. (2000): The Neandertals: Homo neanderthalensis or Homo sapiens neanderthalensis ? Is
there a Contradiction between the Paleogenetic and the Paleoanthropological Data? In: J. ORSCHIEDT
& G.-C. WENIGER (eds.), Neandertals and Modern Humans – Discussing the transition (Central and
Eastern Europe from 50.000 - 30.000 B.P.). – Wissensch. Schrift. Neanderthal Mus., 2: 111-125;
Mettmann.
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18th International Senckenberg Conference 2004 in Weimar
CONDEMI, S. (2001): Les Néanderthaliens de La Chaise «. – Doc. préhistoire, 15: 1-178 ; Paris.
CZARNETZKI, A. (1989): Ein archaischer Hominidencalvariarest aus einer Kiesgrube in Reilingen, RheinNeckar-Kreis. – Quartär, 39/40: 191-201; Bonn.
CZARNETZKI, A. (1991): Nouvelle découverte d’un fragment de crâne d’un hominidé archaïque dans le
sud-ouest de l’Allemagne (rapport préliminaire). – L’ Anthropologie, 95 1: 103-112; Paris.
DEAN, D., HUBLIN, J.-J., HOLLOWAY, R. & ZIEGLER, R. (1998): On the phylogenetic position of the preNeandertal specimen from Reilingen (Germany). – Journ. Human Evol., 34 5: 485-508; London.
MANIA D., MANIA U. & VLCEK, E. (1993): Zu den Funden der Hominiden-Reste aus dem mittelpleistozänen
Travertin von Bilzingsleben von 1987-1993. – Ethnogr.-Archäol. Z., 34: 511-524; Berlin.
MANIA, D. & VLCEK, E. (1981): Homo erectus in middle Europe: the discovery from Bilzingsleben. In:
B.A. SIGMON & J.S. CYBULSKI (eds.), Homo erectus.: 133-151; Toronto (Univ. Toronto Press).
MANIA, D. & VLCEK, E. (1987): Homo erectus from Bilzingsleben (DDR). His culture and his environment.
– Anthropologie, 25: 1-45; Brno.
TRINKAUS E. (ed.)(1988): L’Homme de Néandertal 3: L’Anatomie. – Étud. Rech. Archéol. Univ. Liège, 30:
11-29; Liege.
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