Jj. Shea, NEANDERTHAL AND EARLY-MODERN HUMAN BEHAVIORAL VARIABILITY - A REGIONAL-SCALE APPROACH TO LITHIC EVIDENCE FOR HUNTING IN THE LEVANTINE MOUSTERIAN, Current anthropology, 39, 1998, pp. 45-78
In southwestern Asia, both Neandertals and early modern humans are ass
ociated with the same Levantine Mousterian archaeological complex for
tens of thousands of years. Thus, the Levantine Mousterian archaeologi
cal record offers the possibility of comparing long-term patterns of N
eandertal and early modern human adaptation. Ecological considerations
suggest that Levantine Mousterian subsistence strategies varied along
a continuum paralleling contrasts between Mediterranean woodland and
Irano-Turanian steppe ecozones. This hypothesis is tested with evidenc
e for the production and use of Levallois points, which breakage patte
rns suggest were used as spear points. Stone spear points would have b
een advantageous mainly in intercept hunting and disadvantageous in en
counter hunting. High frequencies of levallois points among assemblage
s from the steppic interior and southern Levant and low frequencies of
points among assemblages from the coastal and northern Levant suggest
support for this model of Levantine Mousterian behavioral variability
. Lithic assemblages associated with Neandertals exhibit higher point
frequencies than those associated with early modern humans. This could
suggest that in the Levant the adaptation of Neandertals was differen
t from and possibly more predatory than that of early modern humans.